NAFDAC arrests suspected chemical counterfeiter, seals Illegal factories in Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested a suspected chemical counterfeiter and sealed two illegal factories in Abuja as part of its intensified clampdown on unsafe food and chemical production.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Ikechukwu Elijah, a local footballer in the Apo-Waru area, was apprehended for allegedly producing and distributing hazardous, unregistered chemicals from a residential building. Initially denying involvement, Elijah later confessed after operatives discovered counterfeit insecticides and other products, as well as equipment including sealing machines, chemical containers, and cylinders. His younger brother was also arrested during the operation.
The enforcement, led by Mr. Embugushiki Godiya of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, also uncovered MZEE Table Water, an unlicensed factory in Damangaza district, which was allegedly operating with fake and expired documents. The facility, lacking a borehole, treatment system, and other basic certifications, was producing packaged water under unhygienic conditions.
In a follow-up raid, NAFDAC operatives stormed a shopping plaza opposite the World Trade Centre, Central Business District, where counterfeit rice and packaging materials were seized. Machines used for re-bagging popular rice brands were also confiscated.
Godiya estimated the seized items’ street value at over N60 million and said the crackdown followed directives from NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to rid markets of unsafe products. He warned Nigerians against patronising counterfeit goods, stressing that those arrested would be prosecuted.
