The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 486 medicine premises in Niger State over multiple regulatory breaches. The affected outlets were shut down for operating without licenses, employing unqualified staff, and engaging in the unauthorized sale of controlled drugs.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the Head of Enforcement at the PCN headquarters, Mr. Suleiman Ciroma disclosed this while briefing journalists at the North Central Zonal Office in Minna after a week-long enforcement exercise.
Ciroma revealed that the sealed facilities include 69 pharmacies, 127 patent medicine shops, and 290 unlicensed outlets. He also confirmed that one individual was arrested for obstructing PCN inspectors and would be prosecuted.
As reported by Mediaplusng.com, the enforcement team inspected a total of 672 premises, consisting of 136 pharmacies and 536 patent medicine stores across nine local government areas—Agaie, Bida, Tafa, Chanchaga, Lapai, Paikoro, Bosso, Suleja, and Gurara.
The operation, Ciroma explained, was targeted at evaluating premises, personnel, and pharmaceutical practices to ensure compliance with professional ethics and minimum standards for safe healthcare delivery.
The enforcement uncovered serious violations, including the running of unlicensed facilities, non-compliance with PCN guidelines, illegal clinical practices, sales of controlled medicines, and unapproved training of apprentices.
Ciroma stressed that Nigerians should always look out for the visible display of valid licenses in pharmacies and patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) to avoid falling victim to quackery
He further assured that the nationwide enforcement exercise will continue as part of PCN’s efforts to sanitize the pharmaceutical sector, protect public health, and curb the spread of substandard and falsified medical products.
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