Kano: Man Jailed for Repackaging Paracetamol as Chloroquine
A Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced a 41-year-old man, Innocent Oparah, to three years jail term for endangering the lives of innocent consumers through the circulation of fake drugs.
This is contained in a press statement signed by the Resident Media Consultant of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Sayo Akintola on Sunday.
The statement said Oparah was on Friday sentenced to three years with an option of a N200, 000 fine. The document noted, was charged to court for labelling paracetamol as Quinine Sulphate & Nivaquine (Chloroquine) tablets at D222 Sabon Gari Market, Kano.
The court was presided over by Justice Ibrahim Mark in the case with charge No FHC/KN /51/2019.
It noted that Count One stated, “that you, Innocent Okparah on or about October 20, 2018, at the above address within the jurisdiction of this honorable court was found in possession of fake drugs, thereby, committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (miscellaneous provisions) Act, Cap C34, LEN 2004 and punishable under section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act.”
NAFDAC, in collaboration with the members of National Association of Patent & Proprietary Medicine Dealers, officers, had, upon intelligence information, swooped on the Sabon Gari market in Kano where the convict was arrested.
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On her part, the Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye commended the judiciary for the judgment, stressing it would serve as a deterrent to other criminally minded fake drug peddlers.
She reiterated her call for a review of the law to discourage Nigerians from going into the illicit business that is capable of compromising the health of the people.
The DG noted with dismay that the provision of the law for drug offenders in the country prescribed weak penalties underscoring the need for a review of such law for that which prescribes stiffer penalties for drug counterfeiters in the country to serve as a deterrent to others. However, appealed to the 9th National Assembly to pass the bill before the end of their tenure since it’s a security-related issue.
She, however, commended members of NAPPMED for giving the agency intelligence that culminated in the arrest and prosecution of the convict as she urged other members of the public to emulate the group by providing NAFDAC with vital information that may lead to the arrest of the merchants of death in the country.
According to her, food and drugs were too important in human life to compromise standards. She finally pledged that NAFDAC would continue to ensure that those dealing in fake and illicit drugs in the country would not go unpunished.
