By AbdulSalam Muhammad

KANO — The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration (NAFDAC) has declared that counterfeiting activities in the country has shifted from Lagos and Onitsha to Kano even as the drug regulatory body  threatens to, henceforth, prosecute landlords whose properties are  used to store fake drugs.

Although, Mr. Hashim Ubale Yusufu refused to reveal the statistical data in respect of Kano’s new status, the Director explained that survey conducted by the drug regulatory body over the past one month shows that counterfeiting activities is shifting from Onitsha and Lagos to Kano.

“I will not avail you with details of our statistics, but we have been monitoring the activities across the country. We know what its happening in high points, we are seeing the movement,  we are hearing the cry and reports from medical centres which confirm the fact that counter-feiting activities is shifting from Onitsha to Kano,”  the NAFDAC head of intelligence unit stated.

The Director in charge of Enforcement, Mr. Hashim Ubale Yusufu, said in Kano that the step to prosecute landlords in the commercial city becomes expedient following the shocking discovery of two large warehouses stocked with fake drugs and subsequent arrest of a foreign national and three Nigerians in Kano, allegedly involved on the illicit trade.

“Henceforth any landlord that lets out its properties for this heinous crime will be prosecuted as an accomplice in line with relevant laws of the land,” Yusuf warned.

He revealed that NAFDAC seized 142 cartons of Tramol capsule, 574 cartons of Ibumol as DA-ibugold, 224 cartons of Chloramphenicol eyedrop and packs of Tarivid tablets in Kwari market warehouse alone, all discove-red to be fake.

The drugs were  imported to the country since 2003, while the consignment of Amala seized is yet to get into the market.