The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed counterfeit, unwholesome, and expired products valued at over ₦5 billion, in a major clampdown on illicit goods endangering public health.
The destruction exercise, carried out at a designated dumpsite in Nasarawa State, included a wide range of dangerous items such as fake pharmaceuticals, adulterated foods, expired beverages, falsified cosmetics, illegal chemicals, and unapproved regulated products seized from markets across the country.
According to NAFDAC officials, many of the products confiscated during nationwide enforcement operations were deliberately kept in circulation by criminal merchants who profit from compromising public safety.
“Some of these products were intentionally hoarded, concealed, deliberately revalidated after their expiration date, maliciously positioned and displayed for sale by some unscrupulous merchants of death for unsuspecting Nigerians,” a senior NAFDAC representative stated during the exercise.
The agency emphasized that the destruction underscores its commitment to ridding Nigerian markets of harmful products and protecting consumers from life-threatening substances disguised as everyday goods.
NAFDAC noted that the operation is part of ongoing nationwide enforcement aimed at:
Cracking down on syndicates involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit goods.
Preventing expired and adulterated products from re-entering the supply chain.
Safeguarding public health through intensified surveillance and market monitoring.
Officials reaffirmed that the agency will continue to pursue offenders, prosecute apprehended suspects, and strengthen collaborations with security agencies to dismantle networks trading in fake and hazardous products.
NAFDAC also urged consumers to remain vigilant, purchase only NAFDAC-approved products, and report suspicious items or vendors to the nearest agency office.
The destruction of the N5bn worth of products, the agency said, is a strong signal to perpetrators that Nigeria will not tolerate activities that threaten the health and safety of its citizens.
