The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal herbal-products factory in Agege, Lagos, where unregistered products were manufactured in unhygienic conditions.
The agency said one product bore a fake registration number belonging to a registered cough syrup, potentially exposing consumers to health risks.
NAFDAC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, following intelligence received on Oct. 16 about the production of Aishetu Adams Bitters using an allegedly falsified registration number.
It said its officers conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence before locating the facility, which was concealed inside a residential building in Agege.
“What we found was shocking. The facility was in a very poor and unhygienic condition,” the agency said.
According to NAFDAC, three products were found at the facility: Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier and a product claiming to treat high blood pressure.
The agency said its enforcement team removed the products during an initial visit and sealed the facility pending further investigation.
It added that the facility manager, Abulaziz Sayidu, was arrested for questioning, while the alleged owner, Ashietu Adams, had absconded.
NAFDAC said the products’ packaging indicated they originated from Ghana but did not include the manufacturer’s name or a verifiable address showing where they were made.
The agency urged Nigerians not to assume products were safe simply because they displayed NAFDAC registration numbers.
It advised consumers to verify registration numbers through its online platforms and Greenbook before purchasing regulated products.
NAFDAC’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Mrs Christiana Obiazikwor, called for greater public involvement in combating counterfeit and unregistered products.
Obiazikwor, who was present during the enforcement operation, warned property owners against allowing their buildings to be used for illegal manufacturing.
She said NAFDAC was intensifying public education through radio programmes, multilingual jingles and community outreach targeting rural and grassroots communities.
Obiazikwor identified NAFDAC and Your Health as one of the agency’s programmes aimed at educating the public about the dangers of fake and unregistered products, particularly in communities with limited internet access.
“These products do not have batch numbers or the manufacturer’s address. These are important details that help establish the identity and traceability of a product.
“We cannot fight this battle alone. Every Nigerian has a role to play by identifying and reporting places where illegal manufacturing activities are taking place,” she said.
