The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed 18 warehouses in Niger State after uncovering large quantities of expired food and beverage products valued at over N100 million.
The agency disclosed this on Thursday in a statement posted on its official X account, noting that the enforcement operation was carried out by its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate based on credible intelligence.
Discovery in Bida
According to NAFDAC, the affected warehouses were located in Bida, around Ndazabo White House along Minna Road and behind Bida Modern Market.
Officials said the facilities contained expired non-alcoholic beverages, dairy products, candies, bottled water and pasta, some of which had already been packaged for distribution.
Items recovered during the raid include about 80,000 packets of non-alcoholic drinks, 5,000 packets of dairy milk, 16,000 packets of bottled water and 28 cartons of pasta, among other expired products.
Arrests, further inspections
NAFDAC said warehouse managers were arrested for interrogation. Preliminary investigations, it added, linked the facilities to a company identified as BY Ventures.
Subsequent inspections at the supermarkets operated by the company in Minna led to the discovery of additional expired products and suspected counterfeit Goya oil.
The supermarkets have since been sealed, while the company’s managing director has been invited for further investigation.
Public health warning
The agency warned that the sale and consumption of expired products pose serious health risks to the public.
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It urged consumers to remain vigilant by checking expiry dates before purchasing food and beverage items and to report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.
NAFDAC reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring that only safe and quality-regulated products are available to Nigerians.