The National Agency for Foods Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed substandard pharmaceutical products in Igwurita, near Port Harcourt.

Commenting on this, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and NAFDAC seized the products valued at N9.6 billion adding stressed that nothing destroys a nation than the importation, distribution and consumption of fake items.

He said the manufacturing of substandard products was the worst crime that anyone could commit against humanity.“The volume of trade has so far surpassed that of heroin and cocaine. It is a significant volume of business which we must all erase,” he said.

The Acting Director- General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, said a total of 21 containers were seized in the joint operation.She said 11 of them contained fake pharmaceutical products and the others, still kept at the Government Warehouse in Port Harcourt, were expired bread improvers.

However, a consultant pediatrician, Dr. Appolous Josiah, has urged the Federal Government to build capacity in the production of ethical drugs before banning their importation.

Also yesterday, the minister announced plans to ensure that drugs and products manufactured in the country meet the required standard.He made the disclosure at the accreditation of the zonal office of the NAFDAC in Agulu, Anambra State.Oni said the zonal laboratory was of international standard to test pharmaceutical products, raw materials and excipients.