Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a massive illegal syndicate dealing in fake chemicals, expired food flavours, unauthorised fertilisers, and repackaged pharmaceutical raw materials worth over N1 billion in Alapere, Ketu, Lagos State.
In a statement on Tuesday, NAFDAC disclosed that three suspects were arrested and three warehouses stocked with dangerous substances were sealed.
“This is one of the campaigns our agency is carrying out to protect the health of Nigerians,” said NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Martins Iluyomade, who led the operation following credible intelligence on the criminal network.
Dr Iluyomade explained that the syndicate specialised in selling and rebranding expired chemicals, posing a major threat to public health.
“Chemicals are either precursors for other materials or are directly used in the production of consumable goods. Using expired chemicals means that the final product cannot be safe or effective. That is a serious health risk,” he stated.
He revealed that controlled substances like fertilisers that require special clearance from the National Security Adviser were also found stocked without authorisation.
“One of the most disturbing discoveries is that many of these food-grade products came from a registered importer, yet found their way into unregulated hands. This suggests complicity or negligence at the top,” he added.
Providing further details, NAFDAC’s Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr Leonard Omokpariola, listed items recovered from the site, including expired food flavourings, roasted beef and chicken flavours, tiger nut additives, and active pharmaceutical ingredients like metronidazole benzoate.
“We found caustic soda, urea fertiliser, and propylene glycol stored in junkyard-like conditions,” he said, describing how the expired items were fraudulently rebranded with new expiry dates as far ahead as 2026.
“When expired chemicals are used to make drugs, you won’t know unless a lab test is done. That’s the real danger,” Omokpariola warned, adding that investigations are ongoing to track other accomplices and negligent companies.
