The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has arrested a local footballer, Mr. Ikechukwu Elijah, in the Apo-Waru area of Abuja for manufacturing and distributing hazardous, unregistered chemicals to the unsuspecting public.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by NAFDAC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Mr. Adegboyega Osiyemi, on Friday.

Counterfeit and substandard products have remained a persistent public health threat in Nigeria.

NAFDAC has repeatedly warned that such items expose citizens to dangerous substances, compromise safety, and undermine trust in regulated goods.

According to its statement, NAFDAC said the suspect operates an illegal factory in a residential building in the area and is notorious for counterfeiting popular brands of chemicals and insecticides.

“Initially, when contacted for interrogation by detectives, he denied any knowledge of chemical production in the area. He later confessed to the crime and admitted ownership of the illegal facility after a thorough search was conducted around the compound. The operation also led to the arrest of his younger brother inside the factory.

“The operation, led by the Desk Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC, and member of the newly inaugurated Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods in Abuja, Mr. Embugushiki Godiya, resulted in the seizure of manufacturing equipment such as sealing machines, high-capacity cylinders, and large chemical containers, as well as the evacuation of all finished products from the facility,” it stated.

In a similar operation, the team also discovered and sealed an illegal water factory, MZEE Table Water, in the Damangaza district of Abuja for producing various brands of packaged water in an unhygienic environment with a fake and expired license.

Further investigations revealed that the factory did not have a certified borehole, water treatment system, or any of the required standards for a certified water factory.

“When the leader of the enforcement team, Mr. Godiya, contacted the owner of MZEE Table Water, she claimed that her factory was registered and that she was in Gwagwalada at the time. None of the staff were found at the facility, except a co-tenant on the premises who witnessed the operation.

“In continuation of the exercise, the team, acting on discreet intelligence, moved swiftly to a shopping plaza opposite the World Trade Centre on Constitution Avenue in the Central Business District of Abuja. There, they confiscated counterfeit rice and packaging materials, including sealing machines used to re-bag popular brands and sell them to the public.

“Mr. Godiya, who estimated the street value of the items seized during the operation at over N60m, attributed the success of the exercise to the marching orders given by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, directing all officers in the field to ensure that Nigerians consume safe food and take efficacious medicines.”

He called on Nigerians to desist from patronising products suspected to be fake, counterfeit, or unwholesome to reduce demand for counterfeit goods.

He further stressed that all suspects arrested would be charged in court in accordance with the law.

Counterfeit and substandard products have long posed a serious public health risk in Nigeria, prompting repeated crackdowns by NAFDAC.

The agency has intensified its surveillance and enforcement operations in recent years, targeting the production and sale of fake medicines, chemicals, food, and beverages that endanger lives and compromise consumer confidence

NAFDAC DG has consistently warned that counterfeit and unregistered products undermine the economy, harm legitimate businesses, and can result in fatalities. To tackle this menace, the agency established the Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods to strengthen coordination with law enforcement and intelligence networks.

Abuja, being a major distribution hub, has witnessed several enforcement operations in which NAFDAC uncovered illegal factories, seized unregistered chemicals, contaminated water, and fake food products.

The agency has urged Nigerians to report suspicious products and patronise only NAFDAC-certified goods to safeguard public health. (The PUNCH)