The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized no fewer than 35 containers of tramadol at various ports, its Director-General Prof. Moji Adeyeye said yesterday.
Adeyeye, who spoke in Abuja, said nine out of the seized containers of tramadol were released to NAFDAC by the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) and had been destroyed by her agency.
“We are seriously working with the Custom on this and each time they seize any container, they usually invite us to come and see the containers with tramadol.
“So far, 35 containers were seized and only nine of them have been handed over to NAFDAC, which we have destroyed,” she said.
She, however, decried the delay by the Custom in handing over the rest of the containers to her agency.
She hailed the present administration for placing an embargo on codeine, which she said, like tramadol, should only be given only by prescription as done in advanced country.
The director general said the agency was more determined and committed than ever to stem the menace of illicit and fake drugs in the country.
Prof. Adeyeye said the agency has cleared backlog of 6,000 applications for registration of products within six months.