NAFDAC arrests chemical producer, seals illegal water, rice factories in Abuja
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By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has intensified its clampdown on illegal food and chemical production with the arrest of a suspected chemical counterfeiter and the sealing of two unlicensed factories in Abuja.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Ikechukwu Elijah, a local footballer in the Apo-Waru area, was apprehended for manufacturing and distributing hazardous, unregistered chemicals.
He allegedly operated an illegal factory from a residential building where he counterfeited popular brands of insecticides and other chemicals.
Initially denying involvement, Elijah later confessed ownership of the factory after NAFDAC operatives conducted a thorough search, which also led to the arrest of his younger brother inside the premises. Equipment seized from the facility included sealing machines, large chemical containers, and high-capacity cylinders, along with finished products ready for distribution.
The operation, led by Mr. Embugushiki Godiya, Desk Officer at the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC and member of the Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines, also uncovered an unlicensed water factory, MZEE Table Water, in Damangaza district.
The facility, allegedly producing packaged water under unhygienic conditions with a fake and expired license, was found lacking basic certification such as a borehole, water treatment system, and other mandatory standards.
The factory owner, contacted by phone, claimed to have proper registration but was absent during the operation.
In a follow-up raid, NAFDAC operatives stormed a shopping plaza opposite the World Trade Centre, Central Business District, Abuja, where counterfeit rice and packaging materials were seized. Equipment, including sealing machines used to re-bag popular rice brands, was also confiscated.
Mr. Godiya estimated the street value of seized items at over N60 million, attributing the successful operation to the directive of NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, who tasked officers with ensuring Nigerians have access to safe food and quality medicines.
He cautioned the public against patronising fake or unwholesome products, stressing that those arrested would face prosecution.
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