NAFDAC: We can track peddlers, users of illicit drugs anywhere in Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has introduced a new “track and trace” tool to find peddlers and manufacturers of illicit drugs anywhere in Nigeria.

Mojisola Adeyeye, director-general of NAFDAC, disclosed this during a recent visit to the headquarters of the National Counter-terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja.

Adeyeye said the agency will partner with the National Counter-terrorism Centre (NCTC) to fight drug abuse, alcoholism and chemical misuse associated with acts of terrorism.

In March, former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the NCTC to provide the incoming administration with infrastructure to coordinate national security.

Adeyeye said the purpose of the visit to NCTC was to “strengthen the working partnership between the two agencies which have similar interests including but not limited to the fight against drug abuse, chemical misuse and alcoholism which have been traced as major contributors to acts of terrorism”.

She said the agency is committed to fighting illicit drug operations in the country, adding that “unless the user is not on planet earth, we can trace it”.

“We have global positioning systems that can pinpoint the medicine to the nearest location,” she said.

Speaking on unapproved chemical use, the director-general said officials of the agency busted peddlers of unauthorised chemicals in Lagos.

She said some suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

“If it is restricted chemical, we have got to monitor it when it comes in; when moving it from one place to another NAFDAC also monitors that transfer because chemicals can be used to do many bad things,” she said.

“We are very stringent on regulatory management of chemicals which include inspection, testing and approval and post-approval surveillance.

“The fact that we have given someone licence does not mean we have to fold our arms. We have to keep checking to make sure that they are still abiding by regulations.”

She encouraged chemical, drug or food manufacturers to join a trade association so that information from the agency can reach them.

“Though we don’t insist that clients should join a particular association, they need to be part of one. Chemical manufacturers have an association and we have had a couple of stakeholders meetings,” she added.