The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 572 pharmacies, patent medicine shops and unlicensed drug outlets across Plateau State following a wide enforcement operation aimed at improving drug safety and compliance.
The exercise, which covered several local government areas including Jos North, Jos South, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Shendam, Qua’an Pan and Bassa, led to the inspection of 778 facilities. These included pharmacies, patent medicine vendors and illegal drug outlets.
According to officials of the council, the closures were prompted by multiple violations of pharmaceutical regulations. Some of the irregularities identified included improper use of medicine premises for non-pharmaceutical activities, illegal medical practice, poor storage of drugs and unauthorized handling of controlled substances.
The enforcement team also discovered cases where individuals operating medicine outlets could not provide valid registration documents or licenses. Some facilities were found to be operating completely outside approved regulatory frameworks.
Out of all the facilities inspected, a significant portion of pharmacies were found not to meet required standards, raising concerns about compliance levels among registered operators in the state. Authorities also noted that many of the outlets were run by unqualified persons, contributing to risks in drug distribution and public health safety.
Officials warned that such practices could lead to the circulation of unsafe or falsified medicines and may also allow controlled drugs to fall into the wrong hands.
The council said the operation is part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s drug distribution system and ensure medicines move through approved and regulated channels from production to end users.
It urged the public to patronize only licensed and properly regulated medicine outlets to avoid health risks.
The enforcement action was carried out under the regulatory mandate of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022. Pharmacy Council of Nigeria
