Kano Police Arrest Five Over Alleged Unauthorized Distribution of Local Medicine

The Kano State Police Command has arrested five persons over the alleged unauthorized administration and sale of locally made medicine to members of the public in Kano.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement issued  in Kano.

He said the suspects were intercepted on Aug. 4 at about 9:00 a.m. by operatives of the 52 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Challawa, at an ECWA Church located behind the 52 PMF Base in Challawa.

According to the statement, the suspects, who were attached to Brother Paul Legacy Foundation and led by Simon Gbaaondo, 50, from Karu, Nasarawa State, were allegedly administering unverified locally made medicine free of charge and offering it for sale to a large crowd of residents from Panshekara communities without approval from relevant health regulatory agencies.

Kiyawa said the individual who hosted the group on the church premises had also been invited to assist investigators in establishing the circumstances surrounding the activity.

He added that the case was initially reported at the Panshekara Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where the suspects are undergoing further investigation.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, warned individuals and organisations against conducting medical outreaches or administering drugs and locally made medicines without authorisation from the state government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and other relevant health authorities.

He said the command remained committed to protecting public health and maintaining public order, urging residents to report any suspicious medical outreach or distribution of unverified medicines to the nearest police station.