Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have raided a warehouse in the Apata community of Jos, Plateau State, over allegations of altering expiry dates on products, resulting in the arrest of two individuals.
The operation, conducted between Friday and Saturday, is part of NAFDAC’s ongoing drive to ensure the safety and quality of products in the market, particularly during the festive season.
The Director of NAFDAC, North Central Zone, Kenneth Azikiwe, who led the raid, said, “We’re here today to address a concerning issue where some unscrupulous individuals are altering the dates on expired products to deceive consumers. They’re sold in small quantities to avoid suspicion. However, a consumer recently reported an issue, and our investigation led us to this facility.”
He added that the products, including wines and hot drinks, had been cleaned with chemicals to remove their original expiry and manufacturing dates before being relabeled with new ones.
Azikiwe confirmed that the arrested suspects, Yusuf Hassan and Emma Nwobi, allegedly participated in the date alterations, while more suspects are being sought.
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“We have two suspects in custody: Yusuf, who applied the altered dates, and the facility owner, who provided the labels. We’ve encountered similar cases before. Our team regularly checks markets, distributors, supermarkets, and sales outlets to ensure product safety.
“During this festive period, our Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, has directed us to be extra vigilant. We’re working to ensure all products are safe and of good quality,” he said.
Azikiwe also urged Nigerians to be careful when buying products, especially regulated items, and to check the manufacturing and expiry dates on the label rather than any stickers.
The Plateau State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Dr. Obida Musa, condemned the actions of the suspects, describing the incident as “truly unfortunate” and “appalling.”
“It’s truly unfortunate to witness such reckless behaviour from these criminals. It’s appalling and should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians,” Musa said, urging the public to remain cautious and report any suspicious products to NAFDAC.
One of the suspects, Yusuf Hassan, pleaded for leniency, insisting he was unaware that the expiry dates had been altered.
“I don’t usually sell Pure Heaven products, but customers kept asking for it. I told them I didn’t have it, and they kept pestering me. I mentioned this to Emma Nwobi, a supplier, and he said he had some in his store.
“He gave me the product, and I didn’t know the expiry date had been altered. The original date was 2020, but it was changed to 2027. I didn’t realise it had expired.
“I buy from Mr. Emma Nwobi and sell to people around me. I don’t have a shop; I just supply products to various places. I’m pleading for leniency, as I’ve never done this before,” he said.
PUNCH reports that NAFDAC is currently leading nationwide operations to eliminate unregistered, expired, falsified, or banned products, which continue to pose serious health risks to Nigerians.
The agency’s recent enforcement in three major open drug markets — Idumota, Aba, and Onitsha — led to the confiscation of such products valued at more than one trillion naira.