NAFDAC busts fake chemical syndicate in Lagos, arrests 3 suspects

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a major operation involving fake and expired chemicals worth over N1 billion in Lagos.

The bust, which took place in the Alapere area of Ketu, led to the arrest of three suspects and the sealing of three warehouses used to store and distribute the banned items.

Officials said the illegal goods included expired food-grade chemicals, fertilisers, flavours, and pharmaceutical ingredients.

“This operation is aimed at protecting the health of Nigerians,” said Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, who led the raid.

According to him, the suspects were running an illegal distribution network under the cover of a legitimate business.

“The major offence here is dealing in expired raw materials—some are used in consumables. This makes the end product dangerous to public health,” he said.

Iluyomade said investigators also discovered fertilisers that should only be distributed with clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

He added that some of the expired additives were traced back to a registered Nigerian company, raising concerns about how such materials ended up in the hands of unlicensed dealers.

“We are going after everyone involved, including companies aiding this criminal network,” he said.

NAFDAC officials confirmed that the entire operation was controlled by a single individual.

Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, described the storage conditions at the warehouses as unfit and unsafe.

“We found caustic soda, urea fertiliser, propylene glycol, and even metronidazole benzoate—all stored in poor, dangerous conditions,” he said.

The agency has vowed to prosecute all suspects and continue its crackdown on unsafe chemical practices across the country.