The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun investigating the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Etimbuk Daniel, at the Awgu Orientation Camp in Enugu State, collecting samples of medications administered to him for laboratory analysis.
NAFDAC disclosed on Sunday that its operatives had visited the camp clinic, interviewed the medical personnel and other workers, and collected samples of the medications for further investigation amid reports alleging that the corps member died from the effects of substandard and falsified medicines.
In a statement released by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC said it wanted to “debunk the news making the rounds that the deceased corps member previously at NYSC Orientation Camp, Awgu, Enugu State, died of effects of substandard and falsified medicines.”
The agency explained that preliminary investigations indicated that Daniel was brought to the camp clinic by two fellow corps members at about 9pm on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, showing symptoms consistent with severe malaria.
The statement further noted that Daniel was also said to be a known patient with peptic ulcer disease.
NAFDAC said he was stabilized with an intramuscular antimalarial drug and other supportive medications given intravenously, after which he was placed on bed rest for observation.
“He was placed on bed rest for observation till Thursday morning when he was discharged with oral medications,” the statement read.
According to the agency, Daniel came back to the clinic on his own on Saturday, October 10, complaining of pain in his right thigh, and was told to see a physiotherapist.
Yet his heavy sweating is said to have drawn the notice of the attending doctor, who took his blood pressure and found it low at 80/40 mmHg.
“He was stabilized with intravenous normal saline. Serial monitoring showed recurrent episodes of hypotension,” NAFDAC stated.
The agency explained that because his blood pressure kept dropping and his urine output remained poor even after fluid resuscitation, he was referred in an ambulance to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, accompanied by another doctor.
“He went into a coma at about the time of arriving at UNTH. All efforts at resuscitating him failed,” the statement added.
NAFDAC went on to disclose that Daniel’s friend later told the camp clinic doctor that the corps member had been vomiting for two days following his initial admission, something the doctor was reportedly not aware of.
According to the agency, the doctors believed the cause of death was “acute kidney injury secondary to severe dehydration and shock.”
In defense of the medications given to Daniel, NAFDAC noted that the same drugs had been administered to several other patients at the camp, all of whom recovered after receiving treatment.
“It is instructive to note that the same medications given to the deceased were also administered to several other patients in the camp who got well after receiving their treatments,” the statement read.
The agency further stated that the medical doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers at the camp clinic had likewise prescribed and used the medications themselves at various times.
NAFDAC said that during its investigation, its officers had visited the clinic, interviewed medical personnel and other staff, and taken samples of the medications for laboratory analysis and other necessary action.
The agency did not reveal the results of any laboratory tests, noting that the investigation was still ongoing.
Daniel was the immediate past president of the Students’ Union Government at Akwa Ibom State University.
Anietie Ekong, who serves as media aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, revealed the decision in a statement shared on Facebook last Thursday.
Ekong stated that the Senate agreed to probe the incident after a motion of urgent public importance was raised by the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Aniekan Bassey, who urged a review of medical services across NYSC orientation camps nationwide.
