Nigerians have been warned by the Federal Government, on Monday not to take fake coronavirus vaccines in circulation in the country.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, while speaking during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force, PTF on COVID-19, said the Federal Government was aware of official reports of large scale fraud and counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines already in circulation.

He said the Federal Government was not ready to procure vaccines from private importers, adding that no vaccine would be allowed into Nigeria without being certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

“The need to involve the private sector in dispensing vaccines will be studied by the vaccine coordinating committee and NPHCDA, which has the mandate to administer vaccines in Nigeria”, he said.

Also, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the PTF, urged Nigerians to shun procurement of vaccines from black market.

“We therefore plead for patience and vigilance.

“The multi-sectoral machinery will be deployed to enhance the logistics to the ‘last-mile administration’ processes put in place”, he said.

According to him, the initial four million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines, recently approved by NAFDAC, would soon be received.

Recall that the NAFDAC last week granted emergency use authorization for the use of AstraZeneca vaccines in Nigeria.