The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has busted an illegal operation in Alapere, Ketu, Lagos, where fake chemicals, expired food flavours, unauthorised fertilisers, and repackaged pharmaceutical ingredients worth over N1 billion were being distributed.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the agency confirmed the arrest of three suspects and the sealing of three warehouses packed with hazardous substances.
While addressing the press during the operation, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, said the raid followed credible intelligence about a criminal group engaged in large-scale counterfeiting.
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“This is one of the campaigns our agency is carrying out to protect the health of Nigerians,” he said.
“We received information about individuals posing as legitimate business operators while engaging in activities that seriously endanger public health.”
He explained that the key violation was the repackaging and resale of expired chemicals, some of which were being misused in the production of food and medicine.
“Chemicals are either precursors for other materials or are directly used in the production of consumable goods. Using expired chemicals means that the final product cannot be safe or effective. That is a serious health risk,” Iluyomade explained.
He also revealed that some of the seized items were controlled substances, including fertilisers that require security clearance to handle.
“This individual had fertilisers and additives meant to be handled only by licensed end users or government agencies.
One of the most disturbing discoveries is that many of these food-grade products came from a registered importer, yet found their way into unregulated hands. This suggests complicity or negligence at the top.”
NAFDAC’s Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr Leonard Omokpariola, also spoke on the range of dangerous goods discovered during the raid.
“We found expired food flavourings, roasted beef, roasted chicken, Chinook, tiger nut and active pharmaceutical ingredients like metronidazole benzoate.
We also discovered caustic soda, urea fertiliser, and propylene glycol all stored in unsafe, junkyard-like conditions,” he said.
Omokpariola described the site as an illegal repackaging hub where labels were forged and expiry dates extended, with fake claims like “Made in China” and “QC certified.”
“This person was printing and applying expiry labels himself. Many items that had already expired were relabelled to appear valid.
We even found excipients and cola additives, highly restricted substances which he had no license to possess.”
He warned that expired chemicals used in drug or food production pose a far greater risk than expired drugs themselves.
“This is more dangerous than expired paracetamol.
When a drug expires, you can choose not to take it. But when expired chemicals are used to make drugs, you won’t know unless a lab test is done. That’s the real danger,” Omokpariola warned.
He added that the investigation is being widened to uncover everyone linked to the operation.
“The suspect must surrender to the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Apapa immediately. If he fails to show up, we will find him. We are also probing the companies that sold these materials, especially registered multinationals who may have enabled this illegal operation.”
He also issued a warning to companies dealing with chemical products.
“If you have expired products, NAFDAC has clear guidelines on how to destroy them. Do not pass them off to unauthorised individuals. There will be consequences,” he said.
