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By Michael Ortega
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut two Chinese supermarkets located in the Jabi District and eight cosmetics shops at Wuse Market, Abuja, for flagrant violations of extant laws governing the sale, distribution, and labelling of regulated products in Nigeria.
NAFDAC disclosed this in a press statement on Friday, signed by the Deputy Director of Public Relations/Protocol, Adegboyega Osiyemi.
The agency said, “Acting on the directive of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the enforcement team confiscated and evacuated offending products worth over N170m.”
It noted that the enforcement exercise was carried out by the NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and members of the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods in Abuja, led by the Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Musa Embugushiki.
“The supermarkets, situated on Mike Akhigbe Way and Ebitu Ukiwe Street in Jabi District, Abuja, were sealed following credible consumer complaints and subsequent surveillance by the NAFDAC Enforcement Team, which revealed that the operators were engaged in the sale of unregistered food items and products labelled exclusively in the Chinese language, contrary to NAFDAC’s mandatory labelling policy requiring English translations for the Nigerian market and regulatory understanding.
“Despite initial resistance and denials by the foreign national at Ebitu Street that the supermarket had yet to commence operation, the enforcement team confirmed that the outlet was in full operation and selling unregistered regulated products.
“In a related operation, eight cosmetics shops within Wuse Market were also sealed for the sale of banned, expired, and unregistered cosmetics, aphrodisiacs, and aesthetic medicines.
“Investigations revealed that certain individuals had been illegally presenting themselves as dermatologists and pharmacists, prescribing and selling harmful products to unsuspecting consumers under the guise of body enhancement, skin whitening, aesthetic improvement for women, and manpower for men,” it stated.
NAFDAC highlighted that some of the cosmetics products seized include Wenicks Capsules, Maxman Capsules, Boobs Enlargement, Curvy Weight Gain, Skin Whitening Vitamin Gummies, Collagen, Royal Jelly, Glutathione Whitening Gummies, White Doll, Dr. Gallery Plus, Maiz Zaki Syrup, Original Herbal Yellow Fever, Sickle Cell Medicine, Dr. Nafisa Herbal Medicine, Dynewell Syrup, White Blinks, among others.
It said Prof. Adeyeye reiterated the agency’s mandate to protect the health of Nigerians against exposure to dangerous chemicals and toxic substances, which are linked to serious health risks, including skin cancer, kidney damage, irritability, and memory loss.
“The agency hereby reaffirms its commitment to enforcing compliance with NAFDAC regulations and advises Nigerian consumers to patronise only products duly registered by NAFDAC.
“Foreign nationals and investors intending to import or market products in Nigeria are advised to visit NAFDAC offices nationwide for product registration and regulatory guidance,” it added.
