NAFDAC’s seizure of banned, fake products

In its renewed determination to rid Nigeria of expired and banned products, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized banned, unregistered cosmetic products worth over N3 billion in Lagos. This followed a raid by the agency in a warehouse stocked with banned, fake and unregistered cosmetic products in Lagos. The uncompleted building housing the warehouse was located at the APT Trade Fair Complex in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The haul has been described by NAFDAC as one of its most significant seizures in recent times, comprising prohibited skin-lightening and medicated soap products outlawed for posing serious health risks. According to NAFDAC, “items recovered include 728 cartons of Crusader soap, 718 cartons of E45 soap, and Extract Gold whitening soaps, which are products banned by the Federal Government. Additional items, such as assorted perfumes, body oils, and cooking oils, were also found and placed on hold for further regulatory assessment. All seized products have been evacuated to prevent distribution.”

NAFDAC also warned that the sale and use of such products pose serious health risks to consumers, and must not be tolerated. It urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office. In a related development, the agency recently sealed 18 warehouses in Bida, Niger State. The seized items included 80,000 packets of expired non-alcoholic drinks, 5,000 packets of dairy milk, 16,000 packets of bottled water, and 28 cartons of pasta, alongside other assorted expired products. Some of them had already been packaged for distribution. The agency, which acted on credible intelligence, seized goods worth N100million from the 18 warehouses located around Ndazabo White House along Minna Road and behind Bida Modern Market.

We commend NAFDAC for its pragmatic efforts to uncover the warehouses housing expired products in both Lagos and Niger states. The synergy between the agency and members of the public, which led to its successful operations, must be sustained. It is sad that some Nigerians still indulge in bringing in banned and expired products into the country in spite of their health hazards. We call for stiffer sanctions against those who engage in these lethal products. NAFDAC should further beam its searchlight in other states of the federation where the illegal business might be going on unrestricted. There is need for more public enlightenment on the banned and fake products to prevent Nigerians from patronizing them.

The issue of fake products in Nigeria has become alarming in recent times. It has even become more difficult to distinguish real products from fake ones. It is also possible that many consumers cannot distinguish between fake from real products. Let those behind the distribution and sale of fake and adulterated products be diligently prosecuted.  The lethal business is booming simply because those involved have not been prosecuted and convicted. We urge those engaged in this devilish business to desist from it forthwith. We believe that the dangers posed by these products are enough to deter their inordinate ambitions.

There is no doubt that expired products pose life-threatening dangers to consumers. These range from acute poisoning and long-term health complications to deaths. Counterfeit and substandard goods, like medicines, food, cosmetics, and electronic items, are produced without regulatory oversight and frequently contain toxic, harmful, or inactive ingredients.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that fake drugs, especially in developing countries, are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, often due to containing no active ingredients. Substandard antimalarials and antibiotics have caused treatment failure, which allows illnesses to worsen.

WHO also says that counterfeit makeup, skincare, and perfumes can contain 200 times the safe limit of toxic substances like arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium, leading to severe skin infections, rashes, and long-term organ damage.  Fake alcoholic beverages often contain methanol, which can lead to blindness, coma, and death. Consuming expired food items can lead to severe food poisoning, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and infections.

Let NAFDAC and manufacturers of these products educate the public on how to distinguish their products from fake ones. This will also help the consuming public from patronizing those who sell fake products. Therefore, we urge Nigerians to patronize reputable shops and outlets, instead of buying from unrecognized and doubtful sources.