Pharmacy regulators have shut down 572 outlets across Plateau State. The closures came after inspectors found serious violations of drug distribution rules.
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria conducted the four-day sweep starting Monday. Inspectors visited seven local government areas in the state.
Dr. Suleiman Chiroma heads the Council's enforcement unit.
He briefed journalists in Jos on Friday about the operation's findings.
Teams inspected 778 premises in total during the exercise. About 60 percent failed to meet required standards.
The sealed outlets included 120 licensed pharmacies. Another 372 patent medicine stores were also shut down.
All 80 illegal medicine outlets discovered were closed immediately. Five operators received compliance notices for specific breaches.
Chiroma said the violations ranged from operating without licenses to practising medicine illegally. Some outlets had obstructed pharmaceutical inspectors, he noted.
Among the 778 premises checked were 199 pharmacies. Patent and proprietary medicine vendors made up 499 of those inspected.
According to Chiroma, the crackdown followed the Pharmacists Council Act. National Drug Distribution Guidelines also guided the enforcement.
He explained the operation aimed to clean up Nigeria's drug supply chain. Only qualified professionals should handle medicines, he stressed.
The enforcement revealed troubling practices putting public health at risk. Such activities also damage the pharmaceutical sector's reputation, Chiroma said.
Illegal outlets particularly concerned regulators. These uncontrolled shops sell counterfeit and expired drugs to unsuspecting buyers.
Patent medicine vendors operating without proper training also posed dangers. Some practitioners lacked any pharmaceutical qualification whatsoever.
Authorities warned that more enforcement activities would follow. Drug sellers must comply with all regulatory requirements immediately.
