Nigeria’s Food and Drug Agency Begins Nationwide Clampdown on Unapproved Herbal Medicines

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has embarked on crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations, with a view to bringing perpetrators to book and minimise the usage of the substance.

The move came just as the agency announced the arrested of a Kaduna-based herbal medicine practitioner, Alhaji Salisu Sani ‘aka’ Baban Aisha,’ for allegedly manufacturing herbal medicine with expired registration licence and illegal advertisement and sale of sacra herbs oral liquid. 

Addressing a press conference at the NAFDACS’s office in Abuja, the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the agency recently received reports about the illegal sale of Sacra Herbs oral liquid, popularly called Baban Aisha by the owner of Sacra Multi-Links Ltd.

She said that apart from that the fact that the licence granted Sacra Herb Links had expired, the company went beyond its bound by prescribing the medicines for unfounded indications such as for the treatment of waist pains, typhoid, ulcer, pile, and toilet infection.

Adeyeye said NAFDAC was doing everything possible to ensure that only safe medicine and wholesome food of the right quality were sold to the citizens.

“We have commenced a nationwide mop-up of the Sacra Herbs in circulation. We have also intensified crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations, with a view to bring perpetrators to book and minimise the usage of the substance, advertisement, and sale of unregistered herbal drugs,” she said.

While recounting the case of sacra herbs oral liquid, Adeyeye said in 2018, the agency received an application from Sacra Multi-Links Ltd, Layin Alhaji Hamza Mai Bread, Tafa Kagarko LGA, Kaduna State for the registration of its product Sacra Herbs oral liquid.

She explained that following regulatory protocols, the agency granted listing approval with NAFDAC registration number A7-2590L for the Sacra Herbs oral liquid for the purpose of management of pile and associated pains.

According to her, the notification of the registration of the product was granted on September 6, 2018, and was valid till September 12, 2019.

She, however, said the company on August 12, 2020, then applied for renewal of its licence which failed as a result of non- compliance to stipulated standards.

She said the company did not correct the lapses observed by NAFDAC hence the product registration licence was not renewed.  

She also said the agency did not receive any application for advertisement of the Sacra herb to warrant the illegal advertisement of the herbal preparation by the company.

She further said: “Following the viral social media outburst on the nefarious activities of Sacra Multi Links, the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC carried out surveillance followed by enforcement action leading to the sealing of the factory and the arrest of two staff of the company who were complicit in the criminal act.

“The following day the Managing Director of Sacra Multi Links, Alhaji Salisu Sani reported to our office in Kaduna and when his vehicle was searched, the following herbal drugs were evacuated from the vehicle: Sacra Herbs oral liquid and two additional unregistered herbal preparations namely Baban Aisha Man Power and Delay and Cure Powder Kai Kadai Gayya”.

Adeyeye said all the products found with the company’s Managing Director and those found in the company were sent to NAFDAC laboratory for analysis.

She listed the herbal drugs and items evacuated from the company’s manufacturing outlets to include, empty pet bottles, unlabelled brown liquid bottles, Potash, Weighing Balance, Kettles, Work Master Heat Gun, Injection Polyethylene and new labels of Sacra Herbs.

Speaking further on steps being taken by NAFDAC, Adeyeye said the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the agency recently clamped down on some distributors of some herbal medicines- Hajia Ayisha Special Snuff AK 47.

She said the agency acted on intelligence report received by NAFDAC that the herbal medicines were mainly in the northern part of Nigeria.

“Findings revealed that the herbal snuff was manufactured in Ghana and was approved for use as an analgesic by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) of Ghana.

“But it is being wrongly packaged and passed-off as a snuff for the Nigerian market. Investigation further revealed an alarming trend in the use of these poisonous preparations by wide section of the populace, cutting across all genders and age groups, including young boys and girls, men and married women, drivers and artisans.

“The snuff, popularly called “Shake” or “Angoro” herbal powder comes under different street names, such as: AK 47, Moringa, Black coffee (Dan Kano), Magic powder, Lufthansa and Desert Warrior.”

Other products mopped up from circulation during raid by NAFDAC included: Hajia Ayisha special snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha Masanda original powerful powder, Hajia Ayisha snuff Nasrullah snuff No. 1, Hajia Salma Special snuff, Lufthansa Man power snuff, 99 Bullet more power snuff, AK 47 Power snuff, Hajia Salma VIP Moringa, Forever Journey, Dr Lambo Moringa snuff, and Danmilla Kokoo herbal powder,

Adeyeye assured that NAFDAC was doing everything to ensure that only safe and efficacious medicine, wholesome food, and quality regulated products are sold and used by Nigerians.

She said the successful investigation on Sacra herbs (Baban Aisha), Hajiya Aisha special snuff AK 47 and other herbal medicines was to drive home the fact that eradication of fake and counterfeit drugs, adulterated and unwholesome processed foods and other regulated products was a holistic battle which should involve every well-meaning Nigerian.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

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