The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested Kaduna-based herbal medicine seller Salisu Sani over alleged expired licence.
Mr Sani’s most popular product is called Baban Aisha.
Director-general of NAFDAC Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said at a briefing in Abuja on Monday that the seller is being investigated and woud be charged to court following the completion of investigations.
He was arrested alongside two staff members and his facility sealed.
The agency stated that it received reports and concerns on Sacra Herbs oral liquid, popularly called Baban Aisha, following an investigative report by a media organisation.
It said while Sacra Multi-Links Ltd, the company under which the popular herbal medicine is registered, was given an approval and licence in 2018 for its product specifically meant for the management of pile and associated pains, the company went beyond bound, prescribing medicines for unfounded indications such as for the treatment of waist pains, typhoid, ulcer, pile, toilet infection, sex enhancers etc.
The agency said the licence for Baban Aisha products expired in 2019 and not renewed because of the failure of the company to meet safety standards.
Adeyeye warned the public against patronising unregistered products, especially those without its approval.
According to her: “The Agency recently received reports and concerns on Sacra Herbs oral liquid, popularly called Baban Aisha following an investigative report released by Premium Times Journalists.
“In 2018 the Agency received an application from Sacra Multi-Links Ltd, Layin Alhaji Hamza Mai Bread, Tafa Kagarko LGA, Kaduna State for the registration of its product Sacra Herbs oral liquid.
“Following regulatory protocols, the Agency granted listing approval with NAFDAC registration number A7-2590L for the Sacra Herbs oral liquid for the purpose of management of pile and associated pains. The notification of the registration of the product was granted on the 6th September, 2018 valid till 12th September, 2019.
“The company on the 12th August, 2020 applied for renewal of its licence. Following a regulatory audit of the company’s production facility, compliance directives were issued to them for non-conformers observed in the facility for which the company was expected to correct.
“The company, however, did not correct the lapses observed, following which the product registration licence was not renewed.
“The agency also did not receive any application for advertisement of the Sacra herb to warrant the illegal advertisement of the herbal preparation.
“It is worthy of note that the Sacra herb which licence expired in 2019 was approved for the management of pile and associated pains, while the company went beyond bound prescribing the medicines for unfounded indications such as for the treatment of Waist pains, Typhoid, Ulcer, Pile, Toilet infection etc.
“Following the viral social media outburst on the nefarious activities of Sacra Multi Links, the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC carried out surveillance followed by enforcement action leading to the sealing of the factory and the arrest of two staff of the company who were complicit in the criminal act.
“The following day the Managing Director of Sacra Multi Links, Alh. Salisu Sani reported to I&E office in Kaduna and when his vehicle was searched, the following herbal drugs were evacuated from the vehicle: Sacra Herbs oral liquid and two additional unregistered herbal preparations namely Baban Aisha Man Power & Delay and Cure Powder Kai Kadai Gayya. All the products found with the managing Director and those found in the company were sent to NAFDAC laboratory for analysis.”
She added, “We have commenced a nationwide mop-up of the Sacra Herbs in circulation. We have also intensified crackdown on all illegal manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparation and other unregistered preparations, with a view to bring perpetrators to book and minimize the usage of the substance.”
