…Uncovers suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks factory in Aba

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed seized fake and substandard products estimated at N2.6bn in Rivers State, warning that more illicit products will be confiscated and destroyed as part of efforts to rid the country of unsafe products.

In the same vein, the Agency has also uncovered a suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks production facility at No. 25 Omenazu Street, Aba, Abia State.

A breakdown of the products destrpyed in Port Harcourt included medicines, expired tomatoes, cookies and chemicals.  They were said to have been intercepted and seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Onne Seaport between 2025 and 2026.

The Chairman of the Federal Task Force on counterfeit, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods in Nigeria, Dr Martins Iluyomade, disclosed this at the Eneka Dump site, venue for the product destruction in Port Harcourt, on behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

Iluyomade, who is also the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, described the exercise as a demonstration of NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health and eliminating counterfeit medicines and other unwholesome products from the Nigerian market.

“The destruction marks the first phase of the exercise; more seized products would be destroyed in the coming days,” he hinted.

The DG commended the collaboration between the Agency and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), noting that cooperation between the two organisations had been instrumental in ensuring the safe disposal of the seized goods.

According to her, the process leading to the destruction began in 2025, following collaboration between the agencies, which she said had signed memoranda of understanding to strengthen their joint efforts against the importation of prohibited and substandard products.

Prof Adeyeye acknowledged that the process encountered some challenges, but said the commitment of personnel from both agencies had helped overcome the obstacles.

She also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs for facilitating the collaboration that culminated in the handover and destruction of the seized products.

The seized items included expired food products, medicines and chemicals considered unsuitable for human consumption or use.

“While the destruction is a significant step in the fight against counterfeit and substandard products, the exercise also raises questions about how such consignments entered the country and the measures being taken to prevent similar seizures in the future. The planned destruction of additional confiscated goods is expected to form part of the agencies’ continued enforcement efforts.

“However, beyond destroying seized products, sustained surveillance at ports of entry, stricter screening of imported goods, improved intelligence-sharing between regulatory and security agencies, and prosecution of those responsible for importing prohibited products remain critical to addressing the problem.

“The effectiveness of the exercise will ultimately depend on whether the joint efforts of NAFDAC and the Customs Service can prevent dangerous products from reaching markets, pharmacies and households,” the DG said.

In the Aba operation, acting on credible intelligence, officials discovered the facility operating in unhygienic conditions. 

The suspected operator reportedly fled upon the team’s arrival, abandoning a vehicle in which counterfeit packaging materials bearing the names of Sir Edwards Scotch Whisky and Scottish Hills Whisky, empty bottles and a drum containing approximately 200 litres of liquid were found.

Inside the facility, officials found counterfeit packaging materials, bottle caps, sealing machines, empty bottles, cartons, tanks containing various liquid concoctions and dirty sieves reportedly used in the production process. Plastic buckets and 200-litre drums containing ethanol and tree bark immersed in ethanol were also discovered, raising serious concerns about the safety and quality of the products being produced.

The estimated value of the equipment, materials and facility components is over ₦500 million.