Key points

• Police arrested six suspects on August 4 for dispensing unverified local medicine at an ECWA Church in Challawa without regulatory approval
• The suspects, led by 50-year-old Samon Bawondo from Nasarawa State, gave some medicine free and sold the rest to residents gathered at the church
• The Kano Police Command warned religious bodies against hosting medical outreaches without clearance from NAFDAC and state health authorities

The Kano State Police Command has arrested six suspects over the alleged unauthorized administration and sale of unverified locally made medicine to residents gathered at an ECWA Church in the Challawa area of the state, following public complaints that surfaced on social media.

Operatives attached to the Police Mobile Force Base in Challawa intercepted the suspects on Tuesday, August 4, at about 9:00 a.m. The command confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Wednesday, saying the matter has since been transferred to its Criminal Investigation Department for thorough investigation.

Suspects identified as members of Brother Fall Legacy Foundation

Police identified the six suspects as members of the Brother Fall Legacy Foundation, led by 50-year-old Samon Bawondo from Karu in Nasarawa State.

According to the command, the group was administering unverified and unauthorized locally made medicine to residents who had gathered at the ECWA Church located behind the No. 52 Police Mobile Force Base in the Fenshekara area of Kano.

The suspects offered the medicine free of charge to some recipients while selling it to others. Critically, the command said the exercise was carried out without any approval or clearance from relevant health regulatory authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Kano State Government.

The individual who hosted the suspects on the church premises was also invited by investigators to explain the circumstances surrounding the outreach. The matter was initially reported at the Fenshekara Police Division before escalating to the state command’s CID.

Police warn religious bodies against unauthorized medical outreaches

Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori used the development to issue a broader warning to individuals, religious bodies and organizations across Kano State.

He stressed that administering drugs or locally made medicines, or conducting medical outreaches of any kind without obtaining the necessary authorizations, poses significant public health risks, particularly when large gatherings are involved.

The command urged residents to report any suspicious medical outreach programmes or distribution of unverified medicines to the nearest police station. Bakori reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding public health and maintaining order, adding that further updates on the investigation would be communicated as the case progresses.