NAFDAC Seals Chinese Supermarkets, Shops In Abuja

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down two Chinese supermarkets located in Jabi District.

NAFDAC also shut eight cosmetics shops at Wuse Market, Abuja, for flagrant violations of extant laws governing the sale, distribution, and labelling of regulated products in Nigeria.

Disclosing this on Friday in a press statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Relations/Protocol, Adegboyega Osiyemi, the agency said the action followed the directive of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

It added that the enforcement team confiscated and evacuated offending products worth over N170m.

The agency further explained 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,” the agency explained in the statement.

The agency also listed some of the cosmetic products seized to include, including Wenicks Capsules, Maxman Capsules, Boobs Enlargement, Curvy Weight Gain, Skin Whitening Vitamin Gummies, Collagen, Royal Jelly, Glutathione Whitening Gummies, White Doll, Dr. Gallery Plus.

Others include Maiz Zaki Syrup, Original Herbal Yellow Fever, Sickle Cell Medicine, Dr. Nafisa Herbal Medicine, Dynewell Syrup, and White Blinks, among others.

According to the statement, 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 further advised foreign nationals and investors intending to import or market products in Nigeria to visit NAFDAC offices nationwide for product registration and regulatory guidance.