News
NAFDAC Warns Nigerians, Says Drug Hawkers Are Merchants Of Death
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has described many drug hawkers as merchants of death, who knowingly or unknowingly, expose lifesaving medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather, thereby degrading the active ingredients to the things that endanger human life.
Speaking at the South East zonal media sensitization workshop on the dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide in Awka, the Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye said most of the perpetrators are semi-literate, who even parade themselves as Doctors and sometimes prescribe drugs to unsuspecting members of the public.
Adeyeye, who spoke through the Director (Chemical Evaluation and Research) in NAFDAC, Dr Leonard Omokpariola said that despite the concern and alarm raised by many organizations on the looming dangers and health implications, the activities have continued across the country.
READ ALSO: NAFDAC Fears 20% Nigerians May Die From NCDs, Moves Against Solid Fats In Foods
The DG said: “It is dangerous to hawk drugs and ripe fruits with chemicals. Despite NAFDAC’s activities through enforcement and seizures, the perpetrators have continued.
“They sell their products cheap because they are not the genuine ones. Drugs are sensitive lifesaving commodities and should never, under any circumstance, be sold in the open market because there are standard storage conditions for them.
“These products they sell are poisons and should never be taken as they do not contain active ingredients and therefore cannot cure any ailment.
“Any drug hawkers arrested by NAFDAC will be prosecuted and and will be made to face jail terms.”
READ ALSO: NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians On Consumption Of Artificially Ripened Fruits
On the riping of fruits with dangerous carbide, Adeyeye said the action is rampant in many parts of the country, especially in the urban areas.
According to her, calcium has the capacity and tendency to degrade and break down micro nutrients and turn them to chemicals that are of no use to the body.
“They use the dangerous gas which is used for welding to ripen fruits. It reduces oxygen supply system to the body and contains a lot of impurities.
“It causes dizziness and mood alteration and can cause sleeping disorder, mouth cancer, skin rashes, kidney problem and sometimes, cancer.
“What is used in riping fruits is ethylene gas.”
NAFDAC director of public affairs, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh solicited the cooperation of the media in the battle against drug hawking.
He observed that the agency, since its inception, has continued to sanitize the drug and food industry, lamenting that in spite of the efforts, many people have continued to undermine its activities.
News
Boko Haram Once Nominated Muhammadu Buhari As Negotiator – Jonathan Revealed
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator.
Jonathan said Boko Haram chose Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.
He made the disclosure while speaking at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), in Abuja.
READ ALSO:2027: Details Of Jonathan, Peter Obi Meeting Emerge
Jonathan said the insurgents named Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.
Jonathan said: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.
“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”
Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.
News
Edo: Pandemonium As NDLEA Operatives Chase Escaping Driver With Shooting
There was pandemonium at Oka Market, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Friday, as operatives of the State Command of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) shot sporadically in chase of an escaping driver.
In the course of the commotion, traders and residents took to their heels, probably to avoid being hit by stray bullets, while others were confused, not sure of what caused the sporadic gunshots.
The sporadic gunshots which lasted more than five minutes at the gate of the NDLEA Head Office, by Oka Market, followed a hot chase of an articulated vehicle driver who was said to have brushed their (NDLEA) vehicle.
READ ALSO:NDLEA Arrests Two Drug Kingpins, Seizes Cocaine, Heroin, Meth In Lagos
The driver, who reportedly brushed the NDLEA vehicle refused to stop for negation, which prompted officers at the scene to alert their colleagues who waited at the alert.
According to eyewitnesses, as the escaping articulated driver approached the NDLEA office, officers who were said to have been alerted by their colleagues pursuing the trailer began to shoot.
Seven of the tyres of the trailer were deflated by bullets of the NDLEA operatives yet the driver refused to stop.
The officers continued to shoot while pursuing him, until he was caught.
READ ALSO:NDLEA Destroys Over 18,000 KG Of Cannabis In Edo Forest
A source said that the driver brushed their vehicle on the way, and that every effort by the officers to stop him so they could settle the matter proved abortive; hence the gunshots and deflation of the tires.
“It was a simple thing; they jammed our men, but the officers tried to stop him so that they could settle, but the driver refused to stop. That is why the men have been shooting to stop him. Even after bursting about seven tires, he was still running, but we caught him and they are bringing him back to our office,” he concluded.
Calls and messages sent to the commander, Edo State NDLEA Command, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, were not responded to as at when filing this.
News
JUST IN: Court Bars Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Regulation
The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has issued an order directing the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the controversial tinted glass permit.
The case, Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025: John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, came up for hearing today.
READ ALSO:Police Clear Pastor Paul Adefarasin Over ‘Gun-like’ Object In Viral Video
Delivering the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.
Confirming the development, Kunle Edun, SAN, who led the legal team, noted that the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.
Details of the ruling and the next adjourned date are expected shortly.
Further updates coming soon…
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