Actress Mary Remmy Njoku has raised concerns over the presence of suspected fake drugs in Nigerian pharmacies after her recent experience with a medication she has used multiple times in the past.
In a post on Instagram, Mary narrated how she was suffering from food poisoning while on a movie set and asked a staff member to buy Imodium from a well-known pharmacy chain in Nigeria.
“I had food poisoning on a set and sent a staff member to buy Imodium from a well‑known pharmacy chain in Nigeria. A medication I’ve used many times before. I took it for about three days but my symptoms persisted,” she wrote.
The ROK Studios boss said she only felt relief after her husband, Jason Njoku, returned from abroad and got her the same medication.
“Then my husband returned from a trip abroad and got me the same Imodium. I took it and my stomach issues subsided within just five minutes,” she added.
Troubled by the stark difference in results, Mary questioned the authenticity of drugs sold in Nigerian pharmacies and called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to investigate.
“This isn’t the first time I have noticed a difference. So I have to ask: What exactly are we being sold in Nigeria? What’s going on with our drugs? This is a public health risk and NAFDAC must take it seriously. This is very dangerous,” she said.
The 40-year-old is one of Nollywood’s influential media entrepreneurs. The actress is the founder and CEO of ROK Studios, which she launched in 2013. The studio has produced hundreds of films and several popular TV series.
Mary and iROKOtv founder Jason Njoku, got married in 2012 and have three children together.
