By Desire Uzochukwu
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a suspected counterfeit drinks production facility at Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, along the Badagry Expressway in Ojo, Lagos State, arresting two suspects in an operation targeting the alleged illegal production and repackaging of alcoholic and energy drinks.
The suspects, identified as Chibuzor Okafor and William John, were arrested in a two-storey building where enforcement officials said they discovered drums, filters, packaging materials, a heating device and other equipment allegedly used in the operation.
NAFDAC said the raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance on suspected counterfeiters operating within the Trade Fair International Market, with officials warning that the circulation of counterfeit or adulterated beverages could pose serious risks to consumers.
Speaking during the operation, Kunle Ojo, Assistant Director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, said officers caught some individuals allegedly involved in producing alcoholic drinks when they entered the premises.
“Gentlemen of the press, as you can see today, when we came, we caught some red-handed producing all kinds of alcoholic drinks,” Ojo said.
He described the discoveries as alarming and said the agency’s intervention was aimed at protecting consumers, particularly as the festive season approaches and demand for beverages increases.
“What we have discovered today is a lot, and it’s mind-boggling. We are here to protect the lives of many Nigerians,” he added.
NAFDAC probes source of drinks, raw materials
Ojo said the agency would investigate the source of the products and raw materials allegedly used at the facility, as well as establish whether other individuals were involved in the suspected operation.
“Where are they getting the products from? Where are they getting their raw materials? Who is employing them to do this kind of dangerous activity?” he asked.
He maintained that NAFDAC’s management had adopted a zero-tolerance approach to counterfeiting and that enforcement officers would continue targeting suspected illegal production facilities.
The official said the materials and products recovered during the operation would be moved to a NAFDAC warehouse for further action, including destruction in accordance with applicable procedures.
“Those people that we have arrested today will be dealt with administratively and definitely will face the law,” Ojo said.
The agency had not provided a complete inventory of the seized items or disclosed the results of any laboratory tests on the drinks at the time of the briefing.
Suspect says he changes drink bottles
One of the arrested men, Chibuzor Okafor, identified himself as a drinks dealer and offered an explanation for his activities when questioned by officials.
“I deal on drinks. I change the bottle of the drink. It’s not that the bottle is not good. It’s the drink in there, because the other one is already damaged. So that’s why we are putting it to the next bottle,” Okafor said.
We are working despite public criticism
Mrs. Christiana Obiazikwor, a Deputy Director, NAFDAC Public Relations Unit, defended the agency’s enforcement record, saying officers routinely conduct surveillance, seize suspected counterfeit products and take action against illegal manufacturers and distributors.
“NAFDAC is still at work. We are on the streets. We are in the markets. We are everywhere,” Obiazikwor said.
She explained that enforcement operations were not always publicised because advance publicity could alert suspected offenders or create difficulties for officers carrying out raids.
“Most of the things they do, we don’t publicise them so that we don’t raise alarm,” she said.
Obiazikwor said the decision to invite journalists to witness the latest operation was intended to demonstrate the agency’s ongoing work and reassure Nigerians that enforcement against suspected counterfeit products remained a priority.
She urged consumers and other members of the public to report suspicious production and distribution activities directly to NAFDAC rather than rely on social media allegations.
“There’s no point going to social media to create fear. Report to NAFDAC and we’ll do the needful,” she said.
We are alert and alive
Speaking, Mrs. Victoria Jennifer Akudu, Assistant Director and Head of the Public Relations Unit of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, said the operation reflected the routine work carried out by the agency’s enforcement teams across the country.
“Every day, our people are in the field. Our enforcement department, they are on the field trying to uncover this. And they do a lot,” Akudu said.
She explained that the directorate regularly confiscated products, conducted seizures and organised the destruction of offending goods as part of efforts to address the circulation of unregistered and suspected counterfeit products.
“This is just a routine activity of our enforcement directorate,” she said.
Akudu also alleged that the operators had moved from an earlier location after enforcement action, prompting officers to continue tracking their activities.
“We have confiscated and sealed off the place. They moved to another place. This time around, we passed through the back door. And that is how we are able to get them,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to report suspected illegal manufacturing activities to the agency, stressing that public cooperation was essential to identifying facilities that might otherwise escape detection.
Akudu also sought to reassure consumers that NAFDAC remained active in carrying out its regulatory responsibilities.
“I will ask Nigerians not to fear. We are alert and we are alive. We are doing our statutory function the way it should be,” she said.
Agency calls for public cooperation
NAFDAC said the operation formed part of its broader efforts to safeguard the quality and safety of food, drinks and other regulated products available to Nigerians.
Counterfeit or adulterated beverages may expose consumers to harmful substances, particularly when products are manufactured or repackaged outside approved quality-control systems. However, the precise contents and safety status of the drinks recovered in this operation had not been established publicly at the time of the briefing.
Ojo appealed to Nigerians to provide credible information about suspected counterfeit manufacturers and distributors, saying the agency could not tackle the problem without public cooperation.
“If you see something, say something,” he said, assuring potential informants that NAFDAC would protect their identities.
The agency said the recovered materials would be evacuated for further action and that investigations would continue to establish the origin of the products and identify any other individuals connected to the alleged activities.
The case also raises questions about the supply chains through which suspected counterfeit beverages enter local markets and the measures needed to prevent unverified products from reaching consumers.
