TheCable

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided a local herbal medicine factory in the Tarfa LGA, Niger state. 

A recent investigation exposed how a low-end herbal product — Baban Aisha herbal medicine — is touted to cure common diseases.

The investigation uncovered that while the herbal product breached regulatory frameworks on registration, it was also tested to be unsafe for consumption.

Umar Sulaiman, NAFDAC team lead, investigative and enforcement, said the agency carried out the raid in collaboration with its Kaduna office, following a complaint received about the factory.

Sulaiman said the team found the production of herbal medicine was being done with an expired licence, violating good manufacturing practices (GMP).

“We went into action after investigations and had the factory raided. The factory is called Sacramultilink Ltd., owned by Dr Salisu Sani, Nawagini Baban Aisha, who sells herbal medicine,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“We are all here for one purpose and that is to safeguard the health of the nation. Upon our arrival here, we found a lot of violations of good manufacturing practices (GMP), the production of herbal medicine with an expired licence.

“We also witnessed an illegal production of some of the products which have not been registered with NAFDAC, along with poor hygiene practices and that is why we took this step.

“We are going to seal this place and arrest any responsible officer here. This facility was registered but for only one product. A NAFDAC registration number was issued to the man and since then we have not seen him again.

“He had gone ahead to produce other products, placing the same approved number for a particular product on other products.”

Nasiru Mato, NAFDAC coordinator, Kaduna state, said Baban Aisha’s product has fallen below the standard and expectations of consumers.

“So we had no option than to seal the entire premises, evacuate all related equipment and facilities used for production,” he said.

Equipment moved away from the factory included one HD injection polythene 25 kg, and one HDPE polythene of 25 kg.

The agency also took away sacks with labels, Hana big box scale, speakers used in advertising the products, a workmaster heat gun, and packaging bottles.