The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed fake, expired and substandard products worth N2.6 billion in Rivers State , as part of a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and unwholesome goods valued at more than N5.3 billion.

The products, which included pharmaceutical items, chemicals, tomato paste, biscuits and other consumer goods considered unsafe for use or consumption, were seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Onne Port between 2025 and 2026.

The destruction exercise took place at the weekend at Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) dumpsite along the Oyigbo Expressway, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt.

Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, who also chairs the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, said the exercise marked the first phase of the destruction of the seized products.

He added that more seized goods were expected to be evacuated from the port for destruction, noting that stronger collaboration among relevant agencies would help speed up the process.

According to him, the process leading to the destruction had taken almost two weeks, but he expressed optimism that future exercises would be conducted more efficiently.

He commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its role in intercepting the products and urged the agency to ensure that other seized consignments were brought forward promptly for destruction.

Iluyomade described the fight against counterfeit products as a critical component of national security, warning that Nigerians were exposed to danger when they consumed unsafe food or used fake and substandard medicines.

“No single agency can tackle the menace of insecurity alone. When people cannot access safe medicines or eat good food, they are insecure,” he said.

He reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health, assuring Nigerians that the agency would intensify its efforts to ensure that only safe food, medicines and other regulated products were available in the country.

The NAFDAC official also urged Nigerians to support the agency by reporting suspected counterfeit products through its established channels, including its offices across the states and contact details available on its website.

He cautioned against resorting immediately to public announcements on social media when fake products were discovered, explaining that doing so could alert those responsible and allow them to conceal the products before enforcement officers could act.

Iluyomade said timely information from members of the public remained essential to the agency’s operations, stressing that enforcement agencies could not effectively discharge their responsibilities without public cooperation.

He warned manufacturers and traders involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit products that NAFDAC would not relent in its efforts to bring them to justice.