Working on its mandate of eradicating the prevalence of illegal drugs, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has strengthened up to clampdown on illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparations and other unregistered preparations. Alhaji Salisu Sani (also known as Baba Aisha), a herbal medicine practitioner, was arrested as part of the ongoing operation for illegally advertising and selling Sacra Herbs Oral Liquid and producing herbal medication without a valid registration license.
Director General of NAFDAC Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye in a briefing with journalists in Abuja, said the agency has begun a nationwide mop-up of the medicine, widely referred to as Baba Aisha, and implored Nigerians to stop using it. She said that while Sacra Herb’s license expired in 2019, it was approved for the treatment of pile and associated pains, the company had gone above and beyond its scope, prescribing the drugs for the treatment of waist pains, typhoid, ulcer, piles, and toilet infections. The agency has lately received allegations and concerns about the drug in response to an investigative investigation published by an online media group, she added.
Renewal for the product license was not approved.
Prof. Adeyeye further explained that in 2018, the company Sacra Multi-Links Ltd had submitted an application to the agency for the registration of Sacra Herbs Oral Liquid. The product’s registration with NAFDAC was made official on September 6, 2018, and it remained valid until September 12, 2019. The listing approval was granted in accordance with regulatory protocols, and for the drug to be used for the management of piles and associated pains. On August 12 2020, she said the company submitted an application to have its license renewed.
However, the company was given compliance directives after a regulatory examination found non-conformers in the production facility that needed fixing. She elaborated that the product registration license was not renewed since the company had not addressed the issues that had been raised. In response to the public outcry on social media about Sacra Multi Links’s illegal practices, NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate conducted surveillance, which was followed by the enforcement action that resulted in the factory’s sealing and the arrest of two employees who were complicit in the act.
Distributors of some other herbal drugs cracked down in the North.
On the following day, Alhaji Salisu Sani, Managing Director of Sacra Multi Links, drove to the I&E office in Kaduna, where a search of his car came up with an array of herbal products were found such as the Sacra Herbs Oral Liquid, as well as Baba Aisha Man Power and Delay and Cure Powder Kai Kadai Gayya, and two other unlicensed herbal medicines. The Managing Director’s personal stash and the stockpile of the company were both sent to the NAFDAC laboratory facility for analysis.
Likewise, Prof. Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate had recently cracked down on distributors of some other herbal medications, acting upon an intelligence report received, which indicated that these herbal medicines were primarily marketed in the Northern part of the country. She noted that research showed the herbal snuff being sold in Nigeria was really produced in Ghana and had been licensed by the Ghanaian Food and Drug Authority (FDA) for use as an analgesic, but was being mislabeled and sold in Nigeria under the false pretense that it was snuff.
Severe health risks are linked to these herbal medications.
Further investigation indicated a worrying pattern of use of these toxic medicines containing pyridine by a large demographic of the population. It has the potential to be highly addictive and is linked to severe health risks. The NAFDAC Director General has stated that the agency’s recent successful investigations into Sacra Herbs (Baba Aisha), Hajiya Aisha special snuff AK 47, and other herbal medicines recur the fact that fighting the spread of fake and counterfeit drugs, as well as adulterated processed foods, is a fight that requires the concourse of every law-abiding citizen of Nigeria.
Related Link
NAFDAC: Website
NAFDAC’s clampdown of illegal drugs. – The agency looks to clampdown on illegal manufacturers and distributors. – Express your point of view.
I really commend NAFDAC in the work they are doing at ensuring illegal drugs are discouraged. I also commend them with the reforms they have been making in their agency.
NAFDAC’s clampdown of illegal drugs.this is nice to Mae sure they stop illegal drug moving around the country and save health of the people anybody found in the illegal act should be punished
Illegal drug to be stop in the country if manufacturers and distributors is stop from producing illegal drug we will be able to stop illegal drug in the country all this illegal drug is killing and affecting people of the country
the crackdown on illicit drugs by NAFDAC.It’s wonderful to know that they’re stopping the spread of illegal drugs and protecting people’s health. Anyone detected engaging in unlawful activity should face punishment if they are been punish it will serve as lesson to others to stop illegal drug
By clamping down on illegal drug manufacturers and distributors, NAFDAC is taking a much-needed step towards creating a healthier Nigerian and make Nigerians have the access to safe and effective drugs and medicines, and that unscrupulous individuals are not allowed to exploit vulnerable consumers.
Yes this is the proactive way of operation that we need in Nigeria to drive out those that are selling and producing illegal goods and jeopardizing the masses health.
The agency should try and stop the productions and distribution of drugs in Nigeria. And anyone found of this illegal act should be punished by the law.
NAFDAC’s actions now is uncalled for because what were they doing before all these illegal drug manufacturers without licence sprang up. Since the day that late Prog Dora Akunyili died NAFDAC when comatose. NAFDAC that we are having n now it’s filled with corrupt officials who don’t care about people’s lives.
Is this the right time for NAFDAC to start clamping down on illegal drug manufacturers and distributors. Is it just now they are waking up from their sleep to realize that there are too many illegal drug manufacturers and distributors. The discreet and discipline NAFDAC is long dead. I hope they can sustain this again taking by them.
NAFDAC’s clampdown of illegal drugs. Any action that can put a stop to illegal drugs. Government should support the action