Mrs Yetunde Oni: NAFDAC DG

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has reopened its offices in 11 local government areas liberated from Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.

Nasiru Mato, the State Coordinator of the agency, announced the reopening of the offices on Sunday in Maiduguri, when he visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai.

Mato said NAFDAC reopened the offices to continue its fight against fake and substandard products.

He said that he was at the Shehu’s palace to seek for his blessings and cooperation in the fight against fake drugs and substandard foods in the state.

The Coordinator said in spite of the six years of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno and the attendant security challenges, NAFDAC staff continued to discharge their duties in the state.

According to him, the agency is also seeking collaboration with the police, military, NSCDC and all security agencies in carrying out its duty.

“Our visit here is, therefore, historic, as it will chart a new beginning in our quest to improve the quality of life for citizens of the state.

“NAFDAC cannot do it alone and realising the important of the traditional institution, which serves as the custodian of people’s tradition, we have come to seek your support,” he said

In his remark, the Shehu of Borno said the visit was a testimony of the agency’s regard for the traditional institution.

Ibn-Garbai pledged the support of Borno Traditional Council to NAFDAC, to enable it discharge its duties successfully.

The monarch decried high rate of drug abused as a result of the insurgency, a development which he said did not match with the norms and values of the indigenous people of the state.

“This trend happening now is new to us; even the Boko Haram insurgency was injected on us from somewhere.

“Borno has always remained a home of peace; all these criminal activities were completely alien to us,” he said.

(NAN)