4th April, 2013
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has impounded fake baby food and other products worth N3 million in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia.
The agency’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Aba Special Zone, Mr. Gabriel Ezeaguba, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba, added that other items seized include beverages, wines and hot drinks.
He said the items include expired cartons of SMA children formula 6x 900 grams, fake Milo drinks in the new name “Mama mma anu tea” meaning, “Mother I will drink tea,” produced with grounded cocoa cake.
The others are cartons of Ovaltine, Teco, sachets of Peak milk, Peak Choko, Vitalo drinks, Eva wines and ‘MacDowells’ preserved hot drinks.
Ezeaguba said, “Mama mma anu tea” was being produced by a man inside a plantain plantation at Uratta area along Port Harcourt Road, Aba, with installed machine and generator which had yet to be retrieved from the site.
He said that materials confiscated as exhibit included frying pans, bags and some other items.
He said that the SMA which expired in 2012 but changed to 2015 and other unwholesome products were being faked at Zone 9 of Cemetery Market and adjoining markets.
The chief regulatory officer said that NAFDAC had also sealed six stores in the markets, while the seized goods had been moved to its warehouse for safety and destruction.
“We have been working in silence but this particular one is so alarming that we want the consumers to be on the know.
“We have been on the raid of Cemetery market and some other adjoining markets for the past three to four weeks.
“About six stores were placed on hold, though we have evacuated the products, most of them are in our warehouse and investigation continues.”
Ezeaguba urged market leadership to assist the agency in the war against fake drugs, pointing out that consumption of such products could damage the liver and kidney of the consumers.