The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal herbal products factory in Agege, Lagos State, where unregistered products were allegedly manufactured under unhygienic conditions.
The agency said one of the products found at the facility carried a falsified registration number belonging to a registered cough syrup, raising concerns about the potential health risks to consumers.
NAFDAC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, following intelligence received on October 16 regarding the production of Aishetu Adams Bitters with an allegedly fake registration number.
According to the agency, its officials conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence before tracing the operation to a facility hidden inside a residential building in Agege.
NAFDAC described the conditions at the site as poor and unhygienic, adding that its enforcement officers identified three products during the operation: Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier and a herbal product claiming to treat high blood pressure.
The agency said its team evacuated the products during an initial visit and sealed the premises while investigations continued.
It added that the facility manager, Abulaziz Sayidu, was arrested for questioning, while the alleged owner, Ashietu Adams, had reportedly fled.
NAFDAC further stated that the products’ packaging suggested they originated from Ghana. However, the labels did not provide the manufacturer’s name or a verifiable address to establish where they were produced.
The agency warned Nigerians against assuming that a product is safe simply because it displays a NAFDAC registration number. It urged consumers to verify registration details through its official online platforms and the agency’s Greenbook database before purchasing regulated products.
NAFDAC spokesperson, Christiana Obiazikwor, called on members of the public to support efforts to identify and report the production and distribution of counterfeit and unregistered products.
Obiazikwor, who was present during the enforcement operation, also cautioned property owners against renting out their buildings for illegal manufacturing activities.
She said the agency was strengthening public awareness through radio programmes, multilingual jingles and community sensitisation campaigns, particularly in rural areas and communities with limited internet access.
She identified the agency’s NAFDAC and Your Health programme as one of the initiatives aimed at educating Nigerians about the dangers associated with fake and unregistered products.
According to her, the absence of batch numbers and manufacturers’ addresses on the seized products raised concerns about traceability and accountability.
She urged Nigerians to report suspected illegal manufacturing operations, stressing that public cooperation remained essential to the fight against counterfeit and unsafe products.
