Ibrahim Khalil

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has inaugurated a Kano State task force committee to combat fake, counterfeit and unwholesome processed food products and drugs.

Speaking at the inauguration on Tuesday in Kano, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, described the initiative as a strategic step to strengthen enforcement and safeguard public health.

Adeyeye, who was represented by the agency’s North-West Zonal Director, Fraden Nantim-Mullah, said the task force would operate under NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate as a federal operational arm.

She warned that counterfeit drugs and unsafe food products pose serious public health risks, undermine confidence in the healthcare system, and threaten national development if not decisively addressed.

According to her, Kano’s position as a major commercial hub makes it particularly vulnerable to the production, importation and distribution of substandard and falsified products.

The NAFDAC boss said the task force would engage in intelligence gathering, surveillance, enforcement operations, seizure of illegal products, arrests, prosecution of offenders, and public sensitisation to curb the circulation of fake products.

She added that the initiative is backed by the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods Act, which empowers enforcement agencies to take legal action against offenders nationwide.

Also speaking, the Kano State Secretary to the Government, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, said the reconstitution of the task force was necessary to address rising cases of drug abuse and counterfeit products in the state.

He noted that drug addiction remains a major social challenge, particularly among youths who constitute a significant portion of the population, and called for urgent efforts to disrupt supply chains of illicit substances.

Farouk-Ibrahim assured the committee of government support and urged members to carry out their duties with integrity and resist any form of inducement or interference.

He announced Kamilu Mudi-Salisu as chairman of the committee, with members drawn from security, justice, health and regulatory agencies to enhance coordinated enforcement.

In his remarks, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, described Kano as a critical hub in Nigeria’s fight against counterfeit medicines, particularly anti-malaria drugs and other essential medicines.

He warned that many counterfeit drugs contain no active ingredients, posing a silent but deadly threat that contributes to avoidable deaths across communities.

Iluyomade disclosed that eight containers of cloned medicines were recently intercepted, with Kano identified as their intended destination.

He called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders and cautioned against attempts by vested interests to frustrate enforcement efforts.

The task force chairman, Mudi-Salisu, pledged the committee’s commitment to tackling fake drugs and unsafe foods, urging the public to support the initiative by reporting suspicious activities.

He said the task force is empowered to conduct raids, seize illegal products, seal premises and prosecute offenders in line with existing laws.