The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) seized banned, expired, and unregistered items worth over ₦1.5 million in Lagos on Saturday.

The operation was conducted by NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement team at the cosmetics section of the Trade Fair market.

A truckload of counterfeit NAFDAC-regulated products was also intercepted by the team during the operation.

Martins Iluyomade, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, led the team and addressed journalists after the exercise.

He said the operation was part of NAFDAC’s national action plan to eliminate harmful products from markets nationwide.

“We’ve received many complaints from Nigerians about unsafe products, and this exercise continues our efforts to remove such items from circulation.

“Some of the confiscated goods are banned products that entered illegally, bypassing required testing procedures.

“We discovered many expired products still displayed for sale in warehouses. The total value exceeds N1.5 million,” he said.

According to him, owners of the warehouses with unwholesome items have been invited for investigation.

“If found guilty, they will face appropriate legal consequences,” he said.

He explained that NAFDAC, as a scientific agency, uses visual inspection and lab tests to assess product safety.

“We first carry out visual checks to confirm if products meet basic regulatory requirements. Then we send samples to the laboratory to verify contents before approving products as safe,” Mr Iluyomade said.

He warned that some items may appear normal but contain harmful or carcinogenic chemicals.

“All imported or locally made products must comply with NAFDAC standards before distribution. Some traders bypass proper registration, putting Nigerians’ lives at risk,” he said.

He described food and drug regulation as a matter of national security.

“One way to silently harm people is through contaminated food or skincare products,” he noted.

He called for serious national attention to such threats and urged Nigerians to stop harmful practices that endanger public health.

Mr Iluyomade clarified that NAFDAC supports businesses but prioritises consumer safety.

(NAN)