The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has reiterated the call for stiffer penalty for merchants of death in society who prioritize making huge illicit money at the expense of lives of their fellow human beings.
Adeyeye called for the introduction of the death penalty for drug peddlers, particularly those whose actions result in the death of children.
Speaking at a programme on Friday, Adeyeye emphasized that only severe penalties would effectively deter drug peddlers, especially those selling harmful substandard medications.
She cited the case of a person importing a highly dangerous dose of Tramadol, which could cause severe harm or death, yet only receiving a minimal sentence of five years in prison or a fine of N250,000.
‘Who wouldn’t pay a fine of N250,000 and go on to commit the same offense? That’s part of our issue—there are no stringent measures in place to prevent repeat offenses,’ Adeyeye added. The lawmakers have promised to partner with NAFDAC to make penalties for drug peddling far more severe.
While NAFDAC works tirelessly to address these issues, Adeyeye also highlighted the agency’s struggle with limited staffing and resources. With just around 2,000 employees nationwide (equivalent to one NAFDAC staff serving 119,000 citizens, based on 238 million population), the agency faces significant challenges in carrying out its enforcement duties.
‘We are understaffed, and our funding is limited. I hope things will improve so we can strengthen our efforts,’ she said.
