Share Olisa Metuh, a politician and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, has called for stricter laws against the production and distribution of fake drugs and adulterated consumer products in Nigeria. He described the current five-year jail term or N5 million fine as inadequate. Metuh, Director of Mobilisation and Organisation of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, made this statement in reaction to the recent conviction of a businessman for producing and distributing fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The Federal High Court in Abia State had sentenced Innocent Okoye to five years imprisonment, with an option of N5 million fine, for producing and distributing fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Metuh described the sentence as a "mere slap on the wrist," warning that such punishment could make counterfeiting and product adulteration a manageable business expense for unscrupulous manufacturers and distributors. He emphasized that adulterated products could cause serious illnesses, organ damage, and preventable deaths.
Metuh stressed that the law must respond with consequences that fit the crime, arguing that the absence of direct physical confrontation between offenders and their victims does not make product counterfeiting any less dangerous than conventional violent crimes. He urged the National Assembly to review existing laws on drug counterfeiting, pharmaceutical adulteration, and falsification of consumer products, with penalties reflecting the harm caused, offenders' intentions, financial gains, and degree of recklessness.
Metuh called for substantially longer prison terms, including sentences comparable to those for grave violent crimes where offences result in death or serious injury, alongside fines proportionate to illicit profits and damage caused. He also advocated asset forfeiture, closure of offending facilities, compensation for victims, withdrawal of dangerous products from circulation, and prosecution of corporate executives, manufacturers, importers, and distributors who knowingly facilitate such crimes.
The Senate had in July 2026 passed for second reading the Counterfeit Medical Products, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Prohibition and Control) Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation prescribes a 15-year jail term upon conviction, asset forfeiture, compensation for victims, and stronger enforcement powers for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Metuh emphasized that tougher laws must be backed by swift prosecution and consistent enforcement. He insisted that a five-year jail term or N5 million fine amounts to a mere slap on the wrist, and such punishment must never become the price of doing business with human lives. The issue of fake drugs and adulterated products is a significant concern in Nigeria, with many unsuspecting Nigerians bearing the consequences of offences capable of affecting hundreds or thousands of people before detection.
The issue of food insecurity is also a concern in Nigeria, with a report indicating that 33.5 million Nigerians will face acute food insecurity by mid-2027. Meanwhile, other developments in Nigeria include Galatasaray goal scorer Osimhen celebrating a new baby, and Delta Airlines partnering with BRECAN to advance breast cancer awareness and early detection in Nigeria.
Key points
- Metuh calls for stiffer penalties against fake drugs, adulterated products
- The Senate passes bill to combat counterfeit medical products, fake drugs
- Tougher laws must be backed by swift prosecution and consistent enforcement
