NAFDAC Arrests Counterfeit Chemical Producer, Seals Illegal Water and Rice Factories in Abuja

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stepped up its crackdown on illegal food and chemical production with the arrest of a suspected counterfeiter and the closure of two unauthorized factories in Abuja.

The suspect, identified as Mr. Ikechukwu Elijah, a local footballer from the Apo-Waru area, was arrested for allegedly producing and distributing unregistered and dangerous chemicals.

According to NAFDAC officials, Elijah operated an illegal factory inside a residential building, where he counterfeited well-known insecticide brands and other chemicals. Although he initially denied ownership, he later admitted running the facility after operatives uncovered incriminating evidence. His younger brother was also arrested during the raid.

Seized items from the premises included sealing machines, chemical containers, high-capacity cylinders, and finished counterfeit products ready for distribution.

The operation was led by Mr. Embugushiki Godiya, Desk Officer at the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC and a member of the Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines.

During the raid, officials also discovered MZEE Table Water, an unlicensed factory in Damangaza district, producing packaged water under unhygienic conditions. The facility was operating with an expired license and lacked essential certification such as a borehole, treatment system, and other required safety standards. The owner, contacted by phone, insisted the factory was duly registered but was absent during the inspection.

In a separate raid, NAFDAC sealed a shopping plaza opposite the World Trade Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District, where counterfeit rice and re-bagging equipment were seized. Popular rice brands were being illegally repackaged with sealing machines and fake packaging materials.

Mr. Godiya estimated the value of confiscated items at more than N60 million. He attributed the successful operation to the directive of NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, who has tasked officers with safeguarding Nigerians’ access to safe food and quality medicines.

He urged the public to avoid patronising fake and unwholesome products, warning that all those arrested would face prosecution.