The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC in collaboration with the members of the National Association of Patent & Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) has successfully secured three years jail term as punishment against a fake drugs merchant, at the Federal High Court, Kano.
The menace caused by the circulation of falsified drugs in the chain distribution system in Nigeria has been quite alarming, as the Director General, NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye reiterates the call for stiffer penalties for offenders.
According to a statement by the agency signed by the Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, in Lagos on Sunday, a 41-year-old man, Innocent Oparah Friday was sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine for endangering the lives of consumers through the circulation of fake drugs.
The NAFDAC DG said the agency secured the conviction at the Federal High Court Kano presided over by Hon. Justice Ibrahim Mark, with charge No FHC/KN /51/2019, as the Count one states: ‘’that you, Innocent Okparah of D222 Sabon Gari Market, Kano State on or about the 20th of October 2018 at the above address within the jurisdiction of this honorable court was found in possession of fake drugs, to wit: Quinine Sulphate and Nivaquine chloroquine 100mg thereby committed an offense contrary to section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods(miscellaneous provisions) Act, Cap C34, LEN 2004 and punishable under section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act’’.
The accused was also prosecuted for illegally labeling quinine sulphate and nivaquine chloroquine 100mg in a falsified manner and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 5 (a) of the Food and Drugs Act, Cap F32, LFN 2004 and punishable under section 17 of the same Act.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye noted with dismay that the provision of the law for drug offenders in the country prescribed weak penalties underscoring the need for a review of such law for that which prescribes stiffer penalties for drug counterfeiters in the country to serve as a deterrent to others.
The Chairman, of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Dr. Tanko Sununu had sponsored a bill at the National Assembly demanding more punitive punishments for those involved in illicit and falsified drugs.
Adeyeye, however, commended members of NAPPMED for giving the agency intelligence that culminated in the arrest and prosecution of the convict as she urged other members of the public to emulate the group by providing NAFDAC with vital information that may lead to the arrest of the merchants of death in the country.
