Officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Borno State Ministry of Health have discovered multiple neglected warehouses holding medications worth millions of naira in the Gamboru area of Maiduguri.
These warehouses, located in remote and hazardous areas, were being used to store drugs that had been damaged by recent flooding incidents.
In an operation carried out on Wednesday, a team led by the Borno State Commissioner of Health, Baba Malam Gana, and NAFDAC’s Director for the North-East region, Kenneth Azikiwe, confiscated the compromised drugs to prevent their sale and distribution.
This raid was conducted following the directive of NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Christiana Mojisola Adeyeye, aimed at averting a potential public health crisis resulting from the circulation of flood-damaged medicines.
In an interview with The NAIJATRAFFIC, Azikiwe clarified that the primary objective was to secure and dispose of drugs that had been adversely impacted by the flooding. He cautioned that such medicines were no longer safe for consumption due to their compromised quality.
Azikiwe mentioned that the mission was to confiscate and safely dispose of drugs that were damaged by the flood, and he urged the public to report individuals who are attempting to sell or dry the affected medicines.
Commissioner Gana stressed the significance of appropriate drug storage and highlighted the state government’s commitment to preventing the recurrence of unsafe practices in the drug market in Gamboru.
He emphasized the necessity of storing medicines correctly and expressed the government’s determination to enforce compliance with safety protocols in the Gamboru market.
Regarding compensating business owners affected by the seizure of their flood-damaged drugs, Gana assured that the Borno State government, with aid from the Federal Government, would offer assistance to those impacted.
He referenced President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Maiduguri, during which the President pledged support for flood victims, including those in the Gamboru market.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the people of Borno that they will not be left to suffer. Those who lost their businesses, including those in this market, will receive assistance from both the federal and state governments,” Gana said.
Bukar Modu, Chairman of the Gamboru Medicine Market, has assured cooperation with the government to prioritize public safety.
He emphasized that the well-being of the people is paramount and urged financial assistance to alleviate losses .
Essentially, Modu is committing to work alongside authorities to safeguard public health while seeking support to offset the economic impact of recent events on the market.
“We are fully prepared to cooperate with the government’s directives. Our primary concern is the health of our people, and we hope the government will provide us with the necessary financial support after this process,” Modu highlighted.
 and the Borno State Ministry of Health have discovered multiple neglected warehouses holding medications worth millions of naira in the Gamboru area of Maiduguri.){kind=link}