The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested a popular Abuja-based herbal medicine seller, Alhaji Salisu Sani, popularly known as Baban Aisha.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who made this known during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday said Baban Aisha and other unregistered manufacturers and sellers of unhealthy herbal medicines were arrested on Monday.
Dubawa, a subsidiary of PREMIUM TIMES, had reported how the fake doctor had been making millions of Naira from the Sacra Herbs found in thronging markets, busy intersections in Kubwa, Lugbe, Nyanya, Jabi, Kuje, and Kurudu and in every residential community in the federal capital territory where vendors of the medicine hawk their wares, promising to cure a litany of ailments for a mere N100.
Following the report, the NAFDAC DG, after the arrest of Baban Aisha and two of his other staff members, sealed off his production facility.
NAFDAC said an investigation had commenced into his activities and that he would be charged after the completion of the investigation.
According to The Nation, Adeyeye said that NAFDAC has taken samples of the Baban Aisha products to its laboratory for analysis, explaining that it received reports and concerns on Sacra Herbs oral liquid via the investigative report by a media organization (Dubawa).
According to the agency, while Sacra Multi-Links Ltd, the company under which the popular herbal medicine is registered, was given 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 amongst others.
Adeyeye further explained that the licence for Baban Aisha products expired in 2019 and was not renewed because of the failure of the company to meet safety standards.
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She said, “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 of Herbal Medicine Seller, 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 the 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.”
According to her, an investigation has revealed an alarming trend in the use of poisonous substances in circulation by young boys and girls, men and married women, drivers and artisans, among others.
She said, “The snuff, popularly called ‘SHAKE’ or ‘ANGORO’ herbal powder comes under different street names, such as: AK 47, Moringa, Black coffee (Dan Kano), Magic powder, Lufthansa, Desert Warrior, etc.
“Some of the productsfrom Herbal Medicine Seller mopped up from circulation during raid by NAFDAC included the following: Hajia Ayisha special snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha snuff AK 47, Hajia Ayisha Masanda original powerful powder, Hajia Ayisha snuff Nasrullah snuff No. 1, Hajia Salma Special snuff, Lufthansa Manpower snuff, 99 Bullet more power snuff, AK 47 Power snuff, Hajia Salma VIP Moringa, Forever Journey, Dr Lambo Moringa snuff, Danmilla Kokoo herbal powder, The Desert Warrior, Hajia Salma sundu. The products are abused for various reasons, including, to create pleasure, to get into ecstasy, increased libido etc.
“The chemical substance in these deadly products of abuse is pyridine which belongs to a class of toxic alkaloids found in some plants of the Nicotiana species, which include the tobacco plant. It can be highly addictive, and it is associated with a range of serious health consequences, including increased risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, etc.”