Title: NAFDAC Busts Major Fake Drug Ring in Lagos, Seizes ₦3bn Worth of Counterfeit Medicines Date Published: 10 February 2026 Description: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered what it described as one of the most extensive counterfeit drug operations in recent years, seizing more than 10 million doses of fake and banned medicines from warehouses in Lagos State.Briefing journalists on the operation, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement and Chairman of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Substandard Products, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, said the discovery followed intelligence gathered during a training meeting held on February 3, which raised concerns about suspicious activities around the Trade Fair–Navy area.Acting on the information, NAFDAC operatives raided the location and uncovered several warehouse structures disguised as residential buildings but used exclusively for drug storage. According to Iluyomade, the deserted nature of the area allowed the operators to function unnoticed for a long time.Inside the warehouses, officials discovered large consignments of counterfeit injectable anti-malarials, antibiotics, sachet drugs, blister packs, cosmetics, and banned medicines, including Analgin, which has been prohibited in Nigeria for more than 15 years.Iluyomade described the discovery as alarming, noting that many of the seized products were life-saving medicines used in emergency situations such as cerebral malaria. He warned that the use of fake injectable drugs in such cases could lead to fatal outcomes.He added that the counterfeit products were so well replicated that even manufacturers sometimes struggle to distinguish them from genuine medicines, underscoring the sophistication of the criminal network behind the operation.The seized items, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦3 billion, were evacuated from the warehouses in eight trailers. Iluyomade said the interception had prevented the dangerous products from entering the Nigerian market.Describing the syndicate as international in scope, he said the criminals clone genuine medicines abroad and reintroduce them into Nigeria’s distribution chain with the help of local collaborators.He warned that counterfeit drugs pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s healthcare system and urged the public to be cautious, particularly of medicines sold at unusually low prices.“If a drug is suspiciously cheap, it may not be a bargain—it could cost you your life,” Iluyomade cautioned. Attached Images: cf64a22158620c1879a92cc212ce345a1becd5df700672aafc801a0668f7f9d1.jpg Attached Video: None