Nigerians are calling on the Federal Government to defund and shut down the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) after social media activist VeryDarkMan accused the agency’s PMS (Surveillance) Director, Fraden Bitrus, of corruption and incompetence.
The controversy erupted when VeryDarkMan alleged that senior NAFDAC officials, including Fraden Bitrus, were involved in a bribery scheme that allowed fake drink syndicates to operate with impunity. Despite providing evidence that a certain product was not NAFDAC-approved, the activist claimed that Bitrus refused to take action on the intelligence.
The public outcry intensified following the revelation that popular Nigerian video director and cinematographer, TG Omori, has been battling kidney failure for the past year, a condition allegedly linked to the consumption of fake drinks sold in Nigerian clubs. Omori’s plight has cast a harsh spotlight on the agency’s failure to regulate and ensure the safety of consumer products in the country.
On December 19, 2023, TG Omori shared a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) where he revealed that he had been hospitalized for most of the year due to complications from consuming fake drinks. “It’s all fun and jokes but Fake drinks left me hospitalized most of the year,” he wrote.
The situation took a tragic turn when Omori disclosed on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, that his only brother had donated a kidney to save his life at St. Nicholas in Lagos, but the transplanted kidney failed to function properly. This has further fueled public anger, with many Nigerians blaming NAFDAC for its perceived negligence and failure to protect citizens from harmful products.
The calls for NAFDAC’s closure have gained traction on social media, with numerous Nigerians demanding accountability and a thorough investigation into the agency’s operations. The situation highlights growing concerns over the integrity of regulatory bodies in the country and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard public health.
