Lagos — Each passing year, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), led by Prof. Dora Akunyili has waged an increasingly successful war against counterfeit drugs which has pitted her against some of the West African nation's most wealthiest businessmen. In December 2003, there was an attempt on her life. The botched attempt however, did not slow the Agency's drive to rid the nation of fake and substandard drugs.

To date, NAFDAC has shut hundreds of domestic importers of counterfeit drugs and exploited the country's weak laws to expand NAFDAC's enforcement powers. Unfortunately, despite these efforts and more, some unpatriotic Nigerians have continued to smuggle fake drugs from countries such as China, Indonesia and Pakistan.

In continuation of this fight, NAFDAC last week, impounded a 20-foot container load of fake Pharmaceutical Products imported on a vessel MV Maersk Izmir.

Some of the drugs loaded in the container include antibiotics of various brands, Septrin paediatric suspension, Glucophage, Augmentin, Ampiclox, Oxytocin injections used for pregnant women during labour. Others are Aldomet used for blood pressure, Encephabol liquid used to treat mentally retardered children amongst others.

Briefing journalists in Lagos, the Agency's newly appointed Director of Ports Inspection, Pharm. Dioka Ejionueme said the vessel, which berthed on 15th May 2008, was loaded with fake and counterfeit copies of fast-moving drugs produced by multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Ejionueme, who put the value of the fake drugs at several millions said through the Agency's existing information network, the vessel carrying the fake pharmaceutical products was monitored before its arrival. "Based on the information available to NAFDAC, the Agency issued a 'HOLD' notice to the Nigeria Customs Service, APMT (the Port Concessionaries) and Maerskline Ltd. (the Shipping Company) on 8th May 2008".

Also, conducting journalists round the container at the Agency's Oshodi office, Ejionueme said some intrigues that nearly resulted in the fraudulent release of the container were discovered before NAFDAC took possession of the fake products.

Giving detailed account of the dramatic twist in the case, he said "While the container was positioned for examination on 20th May 2008, the NAFDAC officer detailed to monitor the movement of the container suddenly noticed that the seal had been broken. Then a padlock was seen affixed to the container shortly after. Yet nobody owned up to being the agent for the container.

It was at this stage that 'seizure notice' and 'request for examination' were issued by NAFDAC for which the Customs Area Controller (CAC) assured us of his cooperation and gave instructions to his officers to cooperate with NAFDAC. No Customs officer accepted responsibility for either the removal of the seal or the affixing of the padlock. This matter was promptly reported to the CAC, who we believe would investigate the oddity."

However, there were more shocking developments and discoveries. For instance, while the Customs officers were doubting if the container had actually been positioned for examination, they discovered to their apparent surprise from their own records that the Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form for the container had already been released on 15th May, the same day the vessel arrived. The impression conveyed by such 'release' was that the contents of the container had been examined by both NAFDAC and the Customs, when no such examination took place.

This intriguing development, Ejionueme said, led to NAFDAC issuing an immediate evacuation notice to the Customs, APMT, Maerskline and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

"Forged signatures as well as forged first and second stamps were discovered to have been used in the fraudulent transaction.

The name of the company in the manifest as importers of the fake products was B.K.B. Enterprises Onitsha, but another name, Embassy Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Company Ltd was used in the failed release by some Customs officers. The clearing agent involved is Becon and Stat. We are still investigating a widely circulating story in the ports that the company Becon and Stat is notorious, deeply involved in and specializes in clearing fake drugs by colluding with some Customs officers, and has been doing so for a long time."

Said Ejionueme, "If these poisonous products had not been impounded by NAFDAC's dramatic interception, they would have definitely gone into the system to be consumed by innocent Nigerians with the serious health consequences. This incident is further clear evidence of the necessity for NAFDAC to be at the nation's entry points - the sea ports, air points and land borders.

Further, he said the Agency's recent interactions with very senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, gave NAFDAC the confidence to expect continued cooperation between the two bodies in the crusade to rid the nation of substandard regulated products.