The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) shut down 150 shops at Eziukwu Market, Aba, Abia State.
During the two-day raid on December 16 and 17, 2024, officials uncovered fake and expired goods worth ₦5 billion.
The agency disclosed this in a post on Wednesday on its official X account.
Officials found fake and expired items, including powdered milk, noodles, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks.
NAFDAC also shared videos showing the items, which included revalidated goods with altered expiry dates.
“Companies repackaged products like ketchup and yoghurt to deceive buyers.”
The team uncovered large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods, including beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, vegetable oils, and revalidated food items such as noodles, powdered milk, and yoghurt.
The destroyed items were valued at ₦5 billion, the agency stated.
Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s South-East Zone Director, described the market as a hub for counterfeit goods.
He stated that the production areas were filthy, using unsafe water, harmful chemicals, and dirty bottles.
The videos exposed the filthy and unsanitary conditions in which many of the fake products were manufactured.
Iluyomade expressed frustration that market leaders failed to honor a 2023 agreement to expose counterfeiters. He noted that these illegal activities put public health at serious risk.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to stopping these practices.
She said the raid was part of efforts to protect consumers and prevent harm.
A similar operation last year led to the destruction of fake goods worth ₦750 million.
The seized items included adulterated alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.
The agency destroyed over 1,500 cartons of fake and substandard products, while it moved 300 cartons to the NAFDAC warehouse.
During a virtual media parley in Abuja, officials disclosed that the street value of the destroyed products exceeded ₦750,000,000.
The recent raid reveals a rise in counterfeiting activities, which is concerning due to the health implications of consuming such adulterated products.
