The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered a large-scale operation dealing in expired and falsified drugs at Umumeje village in the Osisioma Ngwa area of Abia State.

NAFDAC disclosed this in a statement and videos shared on X.com on Friday.

According to the agency, the premises, comprising several buildings near the bustling Ariaria International Market, served as a hub for repackaging and revalidating expired medicines, which were later sold to unsuspecting consumers.

The statement partly read: “Seized items consisted of expired potassium chloride, allergy medications, immune boosters, and cholesterol treatments.

“Machines used to rebrand and alter expiry dates were also discovered on-site.”

It added that the raid led to the arrest of several individuals associated with the operation. However, the prime suspect behind the illicit trade remains at large.

“Despite efforts to reach him, he showed no concern for his detained family members,” the statement read.

NAFDAC added that the operation, conducted in collaboration with security agencies, is part of the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on the circulation of counterfeit drugs in the country.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating the distribution of substandard and falsified drugs in Nigeria.

It also stated that it is currently reviewing its laws to impose stricter penalties on individuals and organisations involved in the production and distribution of dangerous pharmaceutical products.

A Pakistani court has sentenced the country’s already-imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in jail after finding him guilty of corruption.

Bushra Bibi, his wife, was sentenced to seven years as an alleged accomplice.

The case concerns the misuse of authority and corruption involving Khan’s Al-Qadir University project trust.

Khan was also fined 1 million Pakistani rupees ($3,500) while Bibi was fined half.

Khan’s lawyer announced the development on Friday but noted that the convictions were made on January 13.

The former prime minister faced allegations of bribery, involving land in return for a £190 million money laundering favour to Malik Riaz, a real estate tycoon.
This marks the fourth major case Khan has been convicted for.

Three earlier convictions, announced in January last year, were related to selling state gifts, leaking state secrets, and unlawful marriage, all of which were overturned or suspended.

Dozens of cases against him are still pending.

The former prime minister, who remains behind bars, has described the situation as a political witch-hunt.

Khan, who was Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022, is also banned from politics for five years.

Police have arrested a suspected fake lawyer identified as Godwin Eguabor while he was representing a client in a court in Lagos state.

Eguabor reportedly appeared before a magistrate court in the Badagry area of Lagos on Wednesday on behalf of a litigator.

Atule Elchors, the vice-chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Badagry branch, said at the court hearing on Wednesday, Eguabor announced his appearance as legal counsel to a client.

Elchors said he has been hearing a rumour that a fake lawyer was engaging in legal services in Badagry.

“I stood up and told the court that the person who appeared before the magistrate is not a legal practitioner,” NAN quoted the NBA vice-chairman saying.

“And that we have been looking out for him.

“We asked for his supreme court number, which is the enrollment number of every lawyer, but he could not answer, he was just telling us stories.

“The worst thing is that the name he is using in court is different from the name he gave the police when they came to arrest him.”

BAIL APPLICATION

On Thursday, Eguabor was taken to the magistrate court by the police and charged for an offence bordering on illegal parade of oneself as a lawyer.

Edet Ekpo, the prosecutor representing the police, told the court that the offence contravened section 380 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

L A Layeni, the magistrate, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

Layeni ordered that one of the sureties should be a company’s managing director and present a statement of account of the company for one year.

He said that the sureties must deposit N25,000 to the account of Ikeja high court registrar.

He adjourned the case to February 19 for further hearing.