The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) disclosed that most of the drugs sold by hawkers are fake and substandard, and puts the health of Nigerians at risk, as they can damage organs like the liver, kidney, heart, among others.
It also stated that most of the drug hawkers who work with criminal syndicate networks like insurgents, kidnappers, armed bandits, armed robbers, among others, by supplying and distributing psychoactive drugs and narcotics.
Lafiya360 reports that in related events, NAFDAC also urged Nigerians against the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide, as they can cause cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure.
The Agency also explained that fruits ripened with calcium carbide may cause frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcer.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye made this known during the official flag-off of the agency’s media sensitisation workshop on dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbides.
She said, “To address these pressing issues, NAFDAC has launched a nationwide crackdown on drug hawking, coordinating with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders face the full wrath of the law.
“No offender will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law. In this regard, we solicit the co-operation and support of all other Law Enforcement Agencies, Nigerian Journalists and well-meaning Nigerians in ridding the country of this harmful and shameful practice.
“NAFDAC’s enforcement officers are currently carrying out synchronized nationwide operations to put an end to this dangerous practice.
“Many drug hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of death who expose essential and life-saving medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.
“The perilous practice of fruit ripening with calcium carbide, poses risks associated sickness, consuming artificially ripened fruits, which are often sold in open markets, ripened with calcium carbide may appear ripe on the outside, but their inside remains underdeveloped and unfit for consumption.
“Fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide may be ripe on the skin, the inside remains unripe.
“You can identify such artificially ripened fruits if you notice that the fruits are all yellow whereas the stem is dark, this is true especially with banana and plantain. In addition, naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.”