By Ojoma Akor
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria has shut down two Chinese supermarkets and eight cosmetics shops in Jabi District and Wuse Market of Abuja respectively.
A statement from NAFDAC Friday said they were shut for flagrant violation of extant laws governing the sale, distribution, and labelling of regulated products in Nigeria.
The organization said the enforcement exercise which was carried out by NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and members of the Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines, and Unwholesome Processed Foods in Abuja, was led by Musa Embugushiki, an Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer.
NAFDAC said 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 NAFDAC enforcement team, which revealed that the operators were engaged in the sale of unregistered food items and products labelled exclusively in 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 is yet to commence operation, the enforcement team confirmed that the outlet was in full operation and selling unregistered regulated products,” it said.
Also, eight cosmetics shops within Wuse Market were 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 ladies and manpower for men.
Some of the cosmetics products seized include: Wenicks capsules, Maxman capsules, boobs enlargement, curvy weight gain, skin whitening vitamin gummies, collagen, royal jelly, glutathone 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 and so on.
Acting on the directive of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, the enforcement team confiscated and evacuate
d the offending products worth over ₦170 million.
The Director-General 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 reaffirmed- its commitment to enforcing compliance with NAFDAC regulations and advises:
-Nigerian consumers to patronize only products duly registered by NAFDAC;
foreign nationals and investors intending to import or market products in Nigeria to visit NAFDAC offices nationwide for product registration and regulatory guidance.
It urged members of the public to report suspicious sales outlets or products to the nearest NAFDAC offices.
According to Embugushiki, Prof. Adeyeye ,“welcomes legitimate trade partnerships from both Nigerians and foreign nationals, but we will not compromise on public health. Any act of selling unregistered or toxic products shall be met with strict regulatory action.”
