Serious kasala don burst for Ogun State as Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) carry big hammer come down on top hundreds of chemists and medicine sellers wey dey run dia business against government law.
For one massive operation wey last four solid days, PCN officials waka round different local governments for Ogun and seal 383 pharmacies, patent medicine stores and illegal drug joints wey no meet regulatory standards.
Di operation scatter many fake and illegal drug businesses as enforcement officers comb everywhere, checking chemists, medicine shops and suspicious outlets wey dey sell drugs without proper approval.
PCN enforcement boss, Suleiman Chiroma, talk say di exercise no be ordinary inspection, but serious move to save lives and stop quack drug sellers wey dey endanger innocent Nigerians.
According to am, di council inspect 738 different premises during di operation and discover say plenty of dem dey operate outside di law.
Out of di total number wey dem inspect, 383 no escape di hammer, as authorities lock dem instantly for different offences.
Among di places wey collect red card na registered pharmacies wey break rules, patent medicine stores and plenty underground chemists wey no even get licence to operate at all.
Chiroma talk say inspectors uncover all kinds of sharp practices, including people wey dey sell drugs without licence, stores wey dey keep medicines for bad conditions, unauthorised people wey dey handle controlled drugs and illegal apprentice training wey no follow any approved process.
Di council even discover say some operators dey cook food inside medicine shops, while others try block inspectors from doing dia work.
According to PCN, all dis kind reckless behaviour fit put plenty lives for danger because medicine wey no dey stored well fit spoil, lose effectiveness or even become harmful to patients.
Di council still raise serious alarm say some controlled medicines fit find dia way enter criminal hands through illegal drug outlets, something wey fit worsen insecurity and criminal activities for di country.
Findings from di operation show say almost one out of every four premises wey inspectors visit dey operate illegally, with many of di unregistered outlets hidden inside communities outside Abeokuta metropolis.
According to PCN, illegal premises alone account for almost half of all di places wey dem seal during di exercise.
Di operation also expose say compliance level among some medicine sellers still poor.
PCN reveal say only small above half of di pharmacies inspected fully comply with di rules, while many patent medicine stores still dey struggle to meet basic requirements.
Chiroma come advise Nigerians make dem stop patronising roadside chemists, backstreet medicine sellers and suspicious drug outlets because cheap medicine fit later cost person life.
Di council vow say di operation no go stop for Ogun alone, adding say dem go continue pursue fake chemists, illegal drug sellers and quack medicine vendors from one state to another until di system clean up.
As di crackdown dey continue, many illegal drug dealers across Ogun and beyond don begin lose sleep, knowing say PCN fit storm dia shop anytime and seal am without warning.