Health practitioners including pharmacists have been warned against criminal activities and refrain from breaching the laws of the country.

The former chairman, Odua Investment Company Limited, Chief Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli who gave the warning at the opening ceremony of the 30th year anniversary of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan on Tuesday, said practitioners should avoid making themselves parties to criminal offences by directly or indirectly aiding or abeting criminal activities or by conspiring with the drug trafficking.

Alli who spoke as guest speaker on the topic "Pharmacy Practice in Relations to Nigerian Law", noted that pharmacists have responsibilities to the profession, colleagues, the client and the public.

"There is no immunity for a pharmacist who gets involved in, for example, drug trafficking, foreign exchange racketeering, criminal abortions, or trading in human beings, commerce in human parts or organs, obtaining by false pretences (419),economic and financial crimes, and corrupt practices," he said.

While noting that health practitioners should be cautious and be truly responsible in the discharge of their professional duties and obligations, he said practitioners of the present day Nigeria were the more affected because, there was no recognition of ignorance of the law as defence to breaches of the law or particular requirement of statutes.

Speaking, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole expressed hope that the Faculty of Pharmacy was positioned to bring the gown and town together in the aspect of drug manufacturing.

He said it was endowed with some of the best minds in pharmaceutical education in terms of training and exposure.  Adewole expressed optimism that the Faculty would ride on their strengths to fulfil other dreams.

The Dean, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola who noted that the faculty had churned out many PhDs and Professors, said this was the time "we turned our research findings into products."This can only happen if we have a drug manufacturing and quality assurance unit as captured by the Centre for Drug Discovery Development and Production (CDDDP)," she said.

According to her, this grant will soon elapse and the only way to sustain it is for the centre to own a pilot drug manufacturing unit. She appealed to friends of the faculty, industries, foundations, university management, alumni, government, and philanthropists to assist the faculty in this regard.

The highlights of the ceremony included presentation of awards to 16 people, launching of Faculty Anthem, unveiling of Faculty Logo and launching of endowment funds.