NAFDAC Seals Three Factories, Seizes Banned Products Worth N6m in Jos

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday began the enforcement of its ban of alcoholic beverages packaged in small sachets across the country.

NAFDAC’s Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Federal Task Force Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Umar Suleiman, announced this when he led a team on the raid in Jos.

Suleiman said one of the factories was also sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages, adding that it also produced other products without the agency’s registration.

NAFDAC officials also sealed a bakery in Sokoto over repackaging of other products and operating in poor sanitary environment.

The agency’s State Coordinator Garba Adamu said the unregistered bakery was shut with the assistance of security men.

Adamu said the owner of the bakery had been arrested and sanctioned accordingly, adding that the materials he used were also confiscated.

He said the owner had also been educated and guided on how to register his products according to stipulated guidelines.

NAFDAC officials were also at some factories where alcoholic beverages were being produced in banned sachets, pets and glass bottles of 100ml and below in Osogbo, Ilesa, and Ile-Ife, all in Osun State.

Speaking during the enforcement operation, the Assistant Director of NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate for Lagos, Mr. Dare Moses, said the licences for production of sachet alcoholic drinks of 100ml and below had expired since January 31.

Moses said the ban had become necessary due to the abuse of the alcoholic drinks by Nigerians, especially the youth.

Some of the people earn their living to feed their families and dependents from the factory that you have shut down.

Invariably, there will be more families exposed to hunger. I believe this will have a negative impact on the society.

We are appealing to NAFDAC to suspend the directive to shut down the production of alcoholic sachets drinks for the posterity of the masses,” he said.