A tipoff has led the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncover 30 banned and unregistered products worth millions of naira in an uncompleted building in Onitsha, Anambra.
The products include rice, vegetable oil, tomato paste, tomato ketchup, toilet and medicated soaps, dairy products, hand wash, creams, cosmetics, toothpaste, furniture, plastic products, electrical cables and textiles, among others, which were brought in a 40-foot container.
A Deputy Director of NAFDAC, Christiana Essenwa, who made the disclosure while conducting newsmen round the facility, expressed worry that in spite of the Federal Government’s ban on the products, people still neglect the hazards these items pose to consumers to import them.
“These contraband items are written in foreign language; it is difficult for consumers to know the content of the products making it hazardous for consumers in the country.
“For instance, these foreign toothpastes contain saccharine which is not allowed into the country; the vegetable oils do not have the eye logo signifying that they are carrying vitamin A.
“We are going to confiscate every item and get them ready for destruction,” she said.
According to Essenwa, some of the seized products like textiles, cables and plastics also required the involvement of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to certify the authenticity of the items.
“Check whether they have NAFDAC registration number, whether the labeling is ok, whether it was written in foreign language, manufacturing address, language and of course, the expiry date,” she added.
