NAFDAC Advocates Death Penalty for Drug Peddlers in Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is calling for the death penalty for drug peddlers, intensifying the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has suggested implementing the death penalty as a punishment for individuals involved in drug trafficking.

According to Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the agency, only severe penalties will discourage peddlers, particularly when their actions result in the deaths of children.

“During Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the NAFDAC chief mentioned that someone purchased children’s medicine for approximately N13,000, while another person was selling it for around N3,000 within the same mall.”

“That was a cause for concern. Believe it or not, testing in our Kaduna lab revealed that the medicine contained nothing at all. Therefore, I am advocating for the death penalty.”

“You don’t have to threaten a child with a gun to harm them,” Adeyeye stated. “Just administering harmful medication is enough.”

The NAFDAC Director-General is also looking for support from the judiciary and the National Assembly to bring this initiative to fruition. She stated that the agency is willing to collaborate with lawmakers and other stakeholders on this issue.

She stated, “Tackling substandard and falsified medicine cannot be done in isolation. The agency can only do so much; without deterrents in place, issues will arise.”

Someone brought in 225mg of Tramadol, which has the potential to be lethal and cause severe brain damage. Yet, a judgment was made for either five years in prison or a fine of N250,000. Doesn’t everyone realize that person could simply withdraw N250,000 from an ATM?

This is part of our issue. There aren’t any stringent measures in place to prevent people from repeating the same actions. We can make as much effort as possible, but if our laws and judiciary are not robust enough to take a stand, we’ll continue facing challenges.

“Our judiciary system needs to be robust, and we’re collaborating with the National Assembly to implement stricter penalties. Taking a child’s life through harmful medication is unforgivable,” she stated.

On June 19, 2023, in Abuja, NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye examined several items at a press conference regarding “dangerous” unapproved herbal products.

Although NAFDAC is heavily tasked with tackling drug trafficking, Adeyeye expressed concern over the agency’s manpower shortage.

She believes that with approximately 2,000 staff members across the country and limited funding, NAFDAC faces challenges in performing its activities effectively.

“When it comes to staffing, you’re absolutely correct. We are currently understaffed, and I am optimistic that the situation will improve,” stated the NAFDAC Director General.