NAFDAC shuts down Eziukwu market in Abia over ₦5 Billion worth of fake, expired products

December 18, 2024

By Ayinde Adeleke

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Aba, Abia State, after uncovering a large-scale operation producing and distributing fake and expired goods.

The agency’s two-day operation, which took place on December 16 and 17, 2024, revealed a staggering array of counterfeit products.:

The destroyed items were valued at a staggering ₦5 billion.

Dr. Martins Iluyomade, Director of NAFDAC’s South-East Zone, expressed dismay at the market’s continued illegal activities, despite a previous undertaking signed by market leaders in December 2023 to expose counterfeiters.

“This market has become a hub for counterfeit and substandard products,” Iluyomade said. “We will not tolerate this kind of activity, and we will continue to work towards a permanent solution to this problem.”

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, reaffirmed the agency’s zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit products and emphasized its commitment to safeguarding public health.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our markets are free from fake and expired products,” Adeyeye said. “We urge the public to report any suspicious activities to us, and we will take swift action to address them.”