NAFDAC SHUTS DOWN ABIA MARKET OVER FAKE, EXPIRED PRODUCTS WORTH N5 BILLION

December 18, 2024

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 150 shops at Eziukwu Market, Aba, Abia State, during a two-day operation on December 16 and 17, 2024.

The Agency disclosed this in a statement it posted on its X handle on Wednesday.

It said its 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.

NAFDAC noted that the team destroyed items that were valued at ₦5 billion.

Describing the market as a hub for counterfeit and substandard products, the Agency’s Director in the South-East Zone, Martins Iluyomade, expressed dismay at the continued illegal activities, despite a previous undertaking signed by market leaders in December 2023 to expose counterfeiters.

The statement added that NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed the Agency’s zero tolerance for such practices and emphasised its unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health while working toward a permanent solution to the problem of counterfeit products in the market.