By Olatimehin Ololade - February 26, 2025

Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has revealed that she is receiving death threats as a consequence of her relentless efforts to combat counterfeit and illicit drugs in Nigeria.

In a recent media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Adeyeye expressed that her personal freedom has been severely compromised, necessitating 24/7 police protection in both Abuja and Lagos. She highlighted that her staff members are also at risk, mentioning a recent incident where the son of one employee was kidnapped but fortunately managed to escape from his captors.

Adeyeye's revelations underscore the dangerous landscape in which NAFDAC operates, as the agency intensifies its crackdown on fake and substandard drugs across the nation. The recent operations have led to significant seizures valued at approximately N1 trillion, marking one of the most substantial enforcement actions in NAFDAC’s history.

Among the seized items were 87 truckloads of banned, expired, and substandard medical products, including antiretroviral drugs and condoms donated by USAID and UNFPA.

She attributed the escalating threats to NAFDAC’s vigorous campaign against counterfeit drugs, recalling the struggles of former NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Dora Akunyili, who faced similar dangers, including an assassination attempt in 2003.

Adeyeye reiterated the agency’s commitment to its National Action Plan (NAP 2.0) for 2023-2027, which aims to eradicate counterfeit medicines, enhance regulatory compliance, and protect public health. The latest enforcement exercise, which began on February 9, 2025, involved 1,100 security operatives and resulted in the confiscation of large quantities of illicit drugs.

“I previously mentioned an attempted murder six months ago. One of our staff in Kano had his child kidnapped because of his commitment to his work. Thankfully, the child escaped,” Adeyeye said.

She added, “I have two policemen living with me 24/7 in both Abuja and Lagos. I no longer have a life; I can’t go anywhere without police protection. This is not how I want to live, but I have no choice—we must save our country.”