The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested two men over the alleged repackaging of alcoholic and energy drinks at a suspected illegal production facility in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos State.
The suspects, identified as Chibuzor Okafor and William John, were arrested at Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, on Badagry Expressway, during a raid on a two-storey building allegedly used for the operation.
NAFDAC officials said drums, filters, packaging materials, a heating device and other equipment suspected to have been used in the production and repackaging of drinks were recovered during the operation.
The agency said the raid followed intelligence gathering and surveillance on suspected counterfeiters operating within the Trade Fair International Market.
Assistant Director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Kunle Ojo, said officials caught some of the suspects allegedly producing alcoholic beverages when they stormed the facility.
He described the discovery as alarming, warning that counterfeit drinks could expose consumers to serious health risks.
Ojo said the agency would investigate the source of the drinks, the materials used in the operation and those allegedly financing or directing the business.
He added that the recovered products and materials would be moved to NAFDAC’s warehouse for further action, including destruction in line with established procedures.
The suspects, he said, would face administrative action and possible prosecution.
Ojo said the operation was part of intensified enforcement ahead of the festive season, when demand for alcoholic beverages and other drinks usually increases.
He warned that those involved in the illegal trade were putting consumers’ lives at risk for financial gain.
One of the suspects, Okafor, who described himself as a drinks dealer, told The Nation at the scene that he transferred drinks into other bottles.
He claimed that the process was necessary because the original drinks had been damaged, although he did not provide further details about the products or their contents.
NAFDAC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Christiana Obiazikwor, said the agency continued to conduct surveillance, seize suspected counterfeit products and arrest operators, despite public concerns about the circulation of fake goods.
She explained that enforcement operations were not always publicised because advance publicity could alert suspects and compromise investigations.
Obiazikwor said reporters were invited to witness the latest raid to demonstrate the agency’s enforcement activities and reassure Nigerians that it was working to protect public health.
She urged consumers to report suspected counterfeit products and illegal manufacturing facilities directly to NAFDAC rather than rely on social media posts that could spread unverified information.
The agency, she said, would protect the identities of credible informants.
Similarly, Assistant Director and Head of Public Relations, Investigation and Enforcement, Victoria Jennifer Akudu, described the raid as part of routine efforts to identify and dismantle illegal production operations.
Akudu disclosed that suspected operators had allegedly relocated from an earlier site following enforcement action, prompting the agency to continue tracking their activities.
She said the latest operation enabled officers to reach the suspected facility through an alternative entrance.
Akudu urged Nigerians not to panic over reports of counterfeit products, assuring them that enforcement officers were continuing to monitor markets and suspected production and distribution centres.
She also encouraged consumers to provide credible information that could help the agency identify offenders and remove unsafe products from circulation.
NAFDAC warned that repackaging drinks under the labels of established brands without proper quality checks could mislead consumers about the identity and safety of the contents.
The agency said its continuing enforcement operations were aimed at preventing counterfeit, adulterated and unregistered products from reaching the public.