“Declare State Of Emergency On Fake Drugs” – Deji Adeyanju Calls For Sack Of NAFDAC, SON Bosses

• Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and consumer products in Nigeria.
• He also demanded the removal of the NAFDAC Director-General and the heads of other regulatory agencies, including SON, describing the situation as a serious regulatory failure.

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the spread of counterfeit and substandard drugs and other consumer products in Nigeria.

Adeyanju made the call in a statement in which he raised concerns over the circulation of potentially dangerous medicines and other products across the country.

He also called for the removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as well as the heads of other regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON.

Adeyanju argued that the continued circulation of fake and substandard products showed serious weaknesses in Nigeria’s regulatory system.

“The alarming prevalence of counterfeit and substandard drugs and other consumer products in Nigeria points to a complete collapse of regulation in critical sectors.”

He also expressed concern over reports of medicines being sold in open markets and exposed to direct sunlight.

“Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, from fake and substandard medicines to unsafe consumer goods, with reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open under the hot sun. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.”

Adeyanju called on the Federal Government to overhaul the regulatory system and appoint new leadership where agencies had failed to adequately protect consumers.

“The President must be alive to his responsibility and act decisively by removing the Director-General of NAFDAC and the heads of other failed regulatory agencies, including SON, and appointing competent leadership capable of restoring effective regulation and enforcement,” he said.

He further urged the government to urgently declare a state of emergency on counterfeit and substandard drugs and products and carry out a comprehensive review of the country’s regulatory framework.

“Nigerians cannot continue to pay with their lives for regulatory failure,” he said.

The call comes amid renewed scrutiny of counterfeit, substandard and adulterated products in Nigerian markets. At the same time, NAFDAC has continued to report enforcement operations, including seizures and destruction of products it identifies as counterfeit, expired, substandard or unwholesome.

Adeyanju’s comments have generated reactions online.

@Clinton207O: The Tinubu Deji supports does not care about the well being of Nigeria .

@innocent_okpong: He seems to be VDM lawyer. If you no get backings no put body o.

@onlineguru__: How do you expect a Drug lord to fight against anything that will bring sanity to this Nation We dont even know where the druggie is presently

@CurrentlyJ66707: Yibos don kill people finish in this country with their fake drinks and foods

@Dospage1: That’s beautiful one it needs to stop

@wascot20: Asap

@obi_4_president: Two useless institutes