The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arraigned three people and a company before a Federal High Court sitting in Kano, Kano State, over alleged manufacturing and selling of fake drugs.
The defendants are Amao Gideon, Alumona Godwin Okwudila, Hillary Onah Paul Chigozie and Giddyson Healthcare Limited.
The prosecution counsel, Oche M. Abutu, told the court that the syndicate was involved in the manufacturing, distribution and sales of several falsified medicines.
Abutu said, “The drugs include Asian Ampicillin 125mg+Cloxacillin 125mg/5ml powder for oral suspension for children, Asian Ampicillin 125 mg/Sml powder for suspension for children, Erythromycin 125 mg/5ml powder for suspension for children and Artil-Go (Artemether 20 mg+Lumefantrine1 20mg/5ml) powder for suspension for children”
Mr Abutu added that when the medicines were tested at the NAFDAC Kaduna laboratory, it was found out that there was no trace of medicine in the formulations.
He added that, “This puts the patients in danger of treatment failure and possible death,” noting that the offences contradicted Section 1 (a) of the Counterfeit And Fake Drugs Law punishable under Section 3(1)( a).
When the charge sheet was read to them, they pleaded not guilty, and their counsels, E. N. Ogbu, Usman Ashafa and M. S. Waziri, applied for their bail.
The Judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the case to June 24, 2024.