The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has started a nationwide mop-up exercise to remove alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200ml from circulation.
The agency in a statement on Wednesday said the enforcement reinforced the Federal Government’s ban on the production, importation and sale of sachet alcohol in the country.
According to it, the nationwide enforcement operation is holding in the six geopolitical zones and follows the closure of manufacturing facilities found to have violated the ban.
NAFDAC said its enforcement teams were conducting coordinated operations in markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars and other distribution channels to identify, seize and destroy affected products.
It advised manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, hawkers and transporters to voluntarily surrender any remaining stock of the banned alcoholic beverages.
It also warned that continued possession or sale of the affected products would attract seizure, regulatory sanctions and prosecution.
“The enforcement operations across the country will not be a one-off operation but part of a sustained enforcement and public education campaign.
“This campaign is aimed at ridding Nigeria of harmful alcohol products, protecting children and adolescents, and promoting responsible alcohol consumption among adults,” it said.
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It stated further said that the nationwide exercise underscored its commitment to protecting public health by reducing underage drinking, harmful alcohol consumption and substance abuse among children and young people.
The agency clarified that the enforcement was not directed at compliant manufacturers operating within approved pack-size thresholds.
It said the exercise was targeted at eliminating products that pose significant public health risks.
NAFDAC called on Nigerians to support the exercise by reporting anyone producing, stocking or selling the banned sachet and below-200ml PET-bottle alcoholic beverages.
The agency also urged the public to avoid patronising the banned products, describing them as unregistered, unsafe and illegal.
It further appealed to Nigerians to work collectively to safeguard communities and future generations.
In another development, NAFDAC has arrested a suspected producer of counterfeit alcoholic drinks during an enforcement operation in Benin.
The suspect, Daniel Okafor, was apprehended at a facility located in Ewah Road, Off Ikpoba Slope in Benin, where he was allegedly producing different brands of alcoholic beverages.
Mr Mukhtar Babatunde, an Assistant Chief Regulator Officer of NAFDAC, who led the operation, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the arrest followed intelligence gathering and surveillance that lasted for more than one month.
According to him, the operation was carried out after the agency received information that production had resumed at the facility.
“We have been trailing him for over one month over the adulteration of different brands of alcoholic gin.
“When we received intelligence that he had started production, we came in and met him in the course of production.
“It took a highly intelligent effort to gain access to the premises, and when we entered, we found finished products already on the ground, including Lord’s Dry Gin, Majestic Schnapps, packaging materials and labels.
“We also recovered about 12 litres of ethanol, the grade of which cannot be ascertained for now,” he said.
During questioning by officials at the scene, Okafor admitted producing three alcoholic drink brands, including Eagle, Lord and Chelsea.
He also admitted that he was not registered and had no company name.
The suspect told officials that the labels used for the products were sourced from Aba and that he had been producing the drinks for about two years.
He also said the products were transported through waybill to some locations in Onitsha.
The suspect was later handed over to an enforcement team from the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Asaba for further investigation.
NAN
