NAFDAC advocates death penalty for fake, illicit drug dealers

February 07, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has called for the death penalty for individuals involved in the sale of counterfeit medicines.

Adeyeye made this assertion during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, emphasizing the devastating consequences of fake drugs, particularly on children.

Adeyeye cited a disturbing example where children’s medicine was purchased for N13,000, only to discover that a counterfeit version was being sold for N3,000 in the same mall. Laboratory tests revealed that the counterfeit medicine contained no active ingredients.

Adeyeye passionately argued, “You don’t need to put a gun to a child’s head to kill them. Just give them bad medicine”

The NAFDAC boss stressed that stringent penalties are necessary to deter drug peddlers, who prioritize profits over human lives.

She urged the judiciary and National Assembly to collaborate with NAFDAC to make the proposed death penalty a reality.

This call to action is part of NAFDAC’s intensified efforts to combat the sale of substandard and falsified medicines, as well as unwholesome food products. In 2024, the agency destroyed expired, unregistered, and counterfeit products valued at over N120 billion.