Nollywood Stars Raise Alarm Over Fake Drugs in Nigeria

Nollywood stars Ngozi Ezeonu and Ruth Kadiri are speaking out about fake drugs and unsafe products in Nigeria. They are questioning how well the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is protecting the public.

Many Nigerians are worried about counterfeit products on social media. People are pointing out fake foods, drinks, cosmetics, and medicines that look like real brands. This makes it hard for consumers to tell the difference.

As the conversation grows amid worries about insecurity and high fuel prices, the actresses shared their concerns on Instagram. They want NAFDAC to step up its checks on products sold in the country.

Ngozi mentioned that many young people are suffering from kidney and liver problems. Many are being treated in hospitals nationwide. She believes these issues are not just because of lifestyle choices.

The 61-year-old actress said, "Most times, it is probably the medication they take. Somebody gets sick, goes to the hospital, gets prescriptions, gets the drugs, and takes the medication, but the sickness doesn’t go away. Still there or probably getting worse. Come on, guys. Why would anybody want to throw stones in the market? Who do you think it will fall on?"

She continued, "It might fall on your mother, it might fall on your father, your children, or even you. You might be in that market at the wrong time and that stone hits you. Let us not be our own enemies. Yes, I know we have to get money, we have to look for money, we have to be rich, but not at the detriment of lives, innocent lives. Yes, you guys are big guys. When you’re sick, you travel overseas."

Ngozi also challenged rich Nigerians who go abroad for medical care. She asked if they ever think about fake drugs when they travel.

"You’re so rich that you can fly your whole family abroad when they are sick. What about the people who are not as well-to-do as you are? Some people go to the general hospitals, regular hospitals, to treat themselves. What would you gain when people die, when people go like that because you have to make money? It’s painful for me. It’s really painful for me. We shouldn’t be our own enemies."

She urged those making fake drugs to stop. "We should value lives. Please, if you are one of the people who are doing these fake drugs, please stop. People are dying. Our children are dying. Right now, I’m speaking as a mother. I am begging every one of you. Everything in our country now, I don’t understand, because everybody wants to make money. The common drinks children take, you have a lot of fake ones," she said.

Ngozi also called on politicians to go beyond just making statements and take real action. She noted it is alarming that even baby formula is being faked.

"Then to the authorities. It’s not just politics. We are the ones you are governing. Do you people check the standards of what people eat these days? Do you? Nobody knows, Oga Madam; it might be your own children. It might be you. You might be the one it will eat. I don’t have much to say, but I beg you: desist from wasting lives. I beg you."

She added, "God bless you all as we change our ways, as we do the needful. I don’t understand. I do not understand this whole thing; what is going on? If you make all the money in this world, do you think about where your soul will go to? Have you given it a thought? With everything you’re doing, at the end of the day, where are you going?"

Ruth shared her own experience with fake products. She said she bought garlic that turned green right after blending it.

Ruth is worried about the rise of fake goods in Nigeria. She is calling for tougher checks and penalties for those who sell counterfeit products.

"Every day, people buy food, drinks, medicine, cosmetics, and household products, believing that they are safe, but sadly they are poorly produced, contaminated, harmful, and mostly fake. This is not just a business problem; it’s a threat to human life. A sick person goes to the pharmacy to get medication, hoping to get better, but gets worse. Sometimes we see lots of children dealing with kidney failure, and we ask ourselves, where are these increasing problems coming from?"

She added, "Fake products. I bought garlic, blended it, went upstairs and came back; my garlic had turned green. A whole lot of other people have had similar experiences; I’m literally afraid to buy pre-packed drinks for my kids because I’m scared of what the outcome of that drink might be. And it’s not just a buying problem; it is a real problem."

Ruth also advised consumers to be careful when buying products. They should check expiry dates and NAFDAC registration numbers to make sure they are getting real items.

She said many fake products that threaten Nigerians’ health are made locally by people who care more about profit than lives.

"That is why we all have to come together as a people. If you live in an environment where fake products are created, please speak up. You might be saving a child from kidney failure, you might be saving a child from heart failure, and you may be saving a family from losing the life of their benefactor. You might be saving your own child. Never say it can never be."

Ruth asked parents and guardians to pay attention to expiry dates and NAFDAC numbers. She also called on NAFDAC to care about the lives of Nigerians.

"Lots and lots of people are sick and are not getting better because of the cost of fake products; the cost of fake medicine is much more than we can ever ask or think. Let us be our brother’s keeper this time. Let us all put our voices together for this cause, and let us all fight fakeness out of our system."

She urged Nigerians to expose fake goods in their communities instead of hiding those responsible for the illegal activities.

"The era of keeping quiet when they ask you how you made your money is no longer. We have passed that stage. If you deal in fake products, rest assured that you will be caught and you’ll be treated like a criminal, in fact, like a hired killer that you are. And to the authorities, we need stricter inspections of manufacturing companies and product companies so that the lives of Nigerians, including yours, can be saved."

Ruth ended by saying that those who break the law should be punished quickly and fairly. "Please, close your eyes and do not take bribes from companies that produce these things, because it might just be your child consuming it. Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. Please, and please, let us all put our voices together and see how we can fight this out of our country."