The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered an illegal operation involving fake chemicals, expired food flavours, fertilisers, and repackaged raw materials in Lagos.

A statement by NAFDAC on Tuesday said its operatives busted an illegal operation at the Alapere area of Ketu, which led to the arrest of three suspects and the sealing of three warehouses.

The raid was led by NAFDAC’s investigation chief, Martins Iluyomade.

“This is one of the campaigns our agency is carrying out to protect the health of Nigerians. We received information that some individuals were pretending to run a legitimate business, but in reality, they were engaging in serious criminal activities that put people’s lives at risk.

“As an agency set up by law to stop such crimes, we stepped in to make sure those involved are brought to justice. The main offence here is the sale of expired chemicals,” Mr Iluyomade said.

He said that chemicals are known as raw materials, with some serving as precursors used to make other chemicals, while others are used directly in the production of goods that people consume.

“If an expired chemical is used, it is impossible to get a safe or effective final product, making it a serious health risk,” Mr Iluyomade added.

The statement also mentioned that dangerous chemicals posing a serious security threat and expected to be handled only by government agencies or licensed end-users were discovered.

NAFDAC disclosed that some of the expired food additives found at the location were from a registered company that was licensed to import the product, noting that the company will be investigated.

“Fertilisers among the items were found; these items required clearance from the National Security Adviser before anyone could distribute them. Yet, someone has been stocking and selling them freely.

“Another major concern is the expired food-grade products we found, and the disturbing part is that they came from a registered company in Nigeria. That company has the legal right to import them.

“The expired batch ended up with a third party who is not a manufacturer, and this raises serious questions about how some multinationals are operating in this country,” the statement said.

It also stated that the three warehouses located in the same area were sealed, while the total value of the fake and expired items seized was not less than N1 billion.

(NAN)