The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has commenced a nationwide mop-up of unregistered herbal medicines across the country.
The director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja, said NAFDAC has also intensified crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations.
"We have commenced a nationwide mop-up of the Sacra Herbs in circulation. We have also intensified a crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations, with a view to bring perpetrators to book and minimize the usage of the substance," she said.
Adeyeye said following the viral social media outburst on the nefarious activities of Sacra Multi Links, the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC carried out surveillance followed by enforcement action leading to the sealing of the factory and the arrest of two staff of the company who were complicit in the criminal act.
She said, "The following day the managing director of Sacra Multi Links, Alh. Salisu Sani reported to I&E office in Kaduna and when his vehicle was searched, the following herbal drugs were evacuated from the vehicle: Sacra Herbs oral liquid and two additional unregistered herbal preparations namely Baban Aisha Man Power & Delay and Cure Powder Kai Kadai Gayya.,"
She listed some of the products mopped up from circulation during raid by the agency as Hajia Ayisha special snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha Masanda original powerful powder, Hajia Ayisha snuff Nasrullah snuff No. 1, Hajia Salma Special snuff, Lufthansa Manpower snuff, 99 Bullet more power snuff, AK 47 Power snuff, Hajia Salma VIP Moringa,
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Others are Forever Journey, Dr Lambo Moringa snuff, Danmilla Kokoo herbal powder, The Desert Warrior, Hajia Salma sundu.
Adeyeye lamented that the products are abused for various reasons, including, to create pleasure, to get into ecstasy, increased libido etc, adding that the chemical substance in the products of abuse is pyridine which belongs a class of toxic alkaloids found in some plants of the Nicotiana species which include the tobacco plant.
She said the substance is highly addictive, and associated with a range of serious health consequences, including increased risk of cancer, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
She, therefore, advises consumers of NAFDAC regulated products to be watchful of drug, food, and other regulated products they purchase and not hesitate to report any suspicious activities within their environment to the nearest NAFDAC office.
