The Nigerian Army has pledged full support to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in its campaign to eliminate counterfeit pharmaceuticals, expired food items, and unsafe cosmetics across the South-East. Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 82 Division, made the commitment during a meeting with NAFDAC’s South-East Director, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, at the Division’s headquarters in Enugu.
Olatoye commended NAFDAC for its role in safeguarding public health through rigorous monitoring of consumables, aligning with the Army’s mandate to protect lives. “We will continue to provide maximum security for your operations as directed by Army Headquarters. Whenever you need us, reach out,” he stated, urging the agency to share intelligence to preempt criminal activities. The GOC specifically sought NAFDAC’s intervention to sanitize “Mammy Markets” within military barracks, citing suspicions that traders exploit their proximity to barracks communities to peddle expired or substandard goods. “We are ready for enforcement activities anytime,” he added.
Iluyomade thanked the Army for its role in recent raids on major drug markets in the region, which led to the seizure and destruction of fake products worth over N1 trillion. “Your presence ensured the success of those operations,” he said, pledging continued collaboration. On cleansing barracks markets, Iluyomade revealed plans for sensitization workshops targeting traders, officers, and soldiers to identify counterfeit items and strengthen grassroots monitoring.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative plaques and a group photograph, symbolizing strengthened ties between both institutions.
