By Deborah Nnamdi
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has sealed the popular Cemetery market in Aba, Abia State as part of efforts to curb the circulation of fake and substandard wine and beverages in Nigeria.
The market is allegedly known as a haven for the largest cartel ring for the manufacture of fake wines and beverages in Africa.
The current action of NAFDAC is the most audacious in the history of the market with specific zones barricaded with iron welding and access gates locked to date.
The operation carried out in conjunction with a large contingency of the military, DSS, and Nigeria Police, in a rare display of inter-agency cooperation, was a follow-up to a similar raid that was carried out in December 2023.
Some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters included the manufacturing of all kinds of adulterated products especially different kinds of wine from a wide variety of brands.
In a press statement signed by the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said as a consequence of the extensive operation, the agency raided over 240 shops turned factories where the harmful products were being produced and marketed.
“The shops turned factories are very filthy, using water from very unhygienic sources, harmful chemicals, saccharin, coloring, dirty recycled bottles, and cloned packaging materials of other brands. The adulteration of alcoholic beverages by criminal elements in the country is done by mixing cheaper sources of sugar and starch besides grapes or fruit, among other harmful chemicals unsuitable for human consumption.”
Over 1500 cartons of fake and substandard products were destroyed during the operation. The street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products in 2023 is estimated at over seven hundred and fifty million naira. The estimated value of products mopped up during the December 15, 2024, operation is N5 billion.
The products being revalidated and mopped up included soft and carbonated drinks.
Aside from drinks, notable fake home beverages such as Peak sachet milk, cowbell sachet milk peak chocolate drink, miksi sachet milk, Cadbury chocolate drink, and Ovaltine adulterated versions.
She said before the evacuation of the products by NAFDAC, they were being produced in the market and neatly packaged and sold to unsuspecting consumers.
She said NAFDAC management appreciates the support from the Government of Abia state, Governor Alex Otti for his unwavering support for this project operation clean up Aba.
“The Mayor of Aba South, the interim management committee of the market, and other stakeholders have been working assiduously with NAFDAC on the project, leading to another discovery of three major warehouses stockpiling expired Hollandia Yoghurt for revalidation on the 22nd of January 2025.
“NAFDAC wishes to assure the public of her determination to safeguard the nation’s health and enjoins the general public to report any suspected fake and substandard regulated product to the nearest NAFDAC office.”
