The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized 277 cartons of fake and unregistered Malamal Forte antimalarial drugs, valued at over ₦1.2 billion, from a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos State.
The operation, which unfolded on August 29, 2025, averted what officials described as a potential public health catastrophe that could have exposed nearly half a million Nigerians to ineffective and dangerous treatments for malaria, a disease that claims thousands of lives annually in the country.
The raid was the culmination of meticulous intelligence gathering that began at Apapa Port, where NAFDAC investigators intercepted a suspicious container declared as vehicle spare parts.
Upon closer scrutiny, enforcement officers uncovered the illicit cargo hidden among bicycles, tires, and other auto components.
"The importers went to great lengths to deceive us, claiming the shipment was nothing more than spare parts," said Florence Uba, the lead officer in the operation.
"But our team trailed the vehicle along the Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway to its destination, where the truth emerged."
The drugs, branded as Malamal Forte but lacking any active ingredients, were confirmed as counterfeit through preliminary inspections.
NAFDAC's Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, announced the seizure during a press briefing on September 11, emphasizing the agency's unwavering commitment to eradicating substandard medicines from Nigeria's markets.
"This is part of our intensified nationwide campaign to protect public health," Iluyomade stated.
"Fake malaria drugs continue to cause avoidable deaths, and we are determined to fight this battle to the end."
One suspect, identified as Paul Uche, was apprehended at the scene, while investigations have traced the principal importer to China.
The mastermind reportedly fled to the Asian country from Onitsha following NAFDAC's earlier crackdowns on drug markets in Aba, Onitsha, and Idumota.
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