The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has insisted on her position that fake Drug dealers should face the death penalty.
She described illicit drug barons as merchants of death in society who prioritise making huge illicit money at the expense of the lives of their fellow human beings.
In a statement signed by NAFDAC’s Spokesman Sayo Akintola, the DG said her call for the introduction of the death penalty for drug peddlers, particularly those whose actions result in the death of children, was due to the magnitude of damage their actions bring upon the society.
Akintola quoted Adeyeye as having made the call for more punitive measures against fake drug peddlers at a programme on Friday.
He said that Adeyeye emphasised that only severe penalties would effectively deter drug peddlers, especially those selling harmful substandard medications.
According to the Spokesman, Adeyeye cited the case of a person importing a highly dangerous dose of Tramadol, which could cause severe harm or death, yet only receiving a minimal sentence of five years in prison or a fine of N250,000.
“Who wouldn’t pay a fine of N250,000 and go on to commit the same offense? That’s part of our issue – there are no stringent measures in place to prevent repeat offenses,” Adeyeye added.
Akintola said that lawmakers have promised to partner with NAFDAC to make penalties for drug peddling far more severe.
“While NAFDAC works tirelessly to address these issues, Adeyeye also highlighted the agency’s struggle with limited staffing and resources. With just around 2,000 employees nationwide (equivalent to one NAFDAC staff serving 119,000 citizens, based on 238 million population), the agency faces significant challenges in carrying out its enforcement duties.
“We are understaffed, and our funding is limited. I hope things will improve so we can strengthen our efforts,” the DG said.
