NAFDAC uncovers another fake herbal factory in Lagos, arrests manager

NAFDAC uncovered an illegal herbal-products factory in Agege, Lagos. The facility was concealed inside a residential building and allegedly produced unregistered medicines in poor, unhygienic conditions. The discovery matters because products made without regulatory approval may lack reliable information about their source and contents.

Officials found production taking place outdoors, using visibly poor water and an unsafe environment. They recovered three herbal products and said none was registered with NAFDAC. The agency also found that one product carried a registration number belonging to a registered cough syrup, creating a false appearance of approval.

NAFDAC sealed the facility and evacuated the recovered products to its office. Manager Abulaziz Sayidu was arrested for interrogation. The alleged owner, Ashietu Adams, reportedly travelled to Ghana and fled before officials arrived. Investigations were continuing into the operation and her whereabouts.

NAFDAC is Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. It oversees regulated products, including herbal medicines, to help ensure that products entering the market meet required standards. Regulation matters because consumers need trustworthy information about what they are buying and who made it.

In Agege, NAFDAC found three herbal products that were not registered with the agency. The products were allegedly made outdoors under unhygienic conditions. Their packaging also lacked the manufacturer’s name and a verifiable address. One displayed a registration number copied from a registered cough syrup.

The agency sealed the facility, removed the products, and began investigations. It also advised consumers to verify products through NAFDAC’s online platforms and Greenbook, or by visiting a nearby NAFDAC office. The agency said it was intensifying surveillance and enforcement against illegal manufacturing outlets.

Officials found three herbal products that NAFDAC said were unregistered. Their claimed uses matter because health-related products can influence decisions about serious conditions. The agency’s findings showed that these products were being offered without the regulatory approval normally used to establish their identity and source.

The recovered products were Ashietu Adams Herbal Mixture for sexually transmitted diseases, Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier, and another herbal preparation purportedly used for high blood pressure. NAFDAC said none had been registered. The products were reportedly manufactured in an unhygienic outdoor setting.

The products were evacuated to NAFDAC’s office after the facility was sealed. The article does not report whether anyone had consumed them or describe specific medical outcomes. Investigations were ongoing, while the agency urged consumers to verify product details before purchase or consumption.

The alleged deception involved reusing a legitimate NAFDAC registration number. A registration number is meant to identify a particular approved product, so copying one can make a different, unregistered product appear officially cleared. This makes checking only the number unreliable.

NAFDAC said the number printed on Ashietu Adams Blood Purifier actually belonged to a registered cough syrup. The agency said the operators simply copied the number and placed it on their herbal product. The product also lacked the manufacturer’s name and a verifiable address.

NAFDAC warned consumers to compare the displayed product name with the product being presented. It advised checking product details through its online verification platforms and Greenbook. Consumers without internet access can visit the nearest NAFDAC office. The agency is also increasing surveillance and enforcement operations.

The article does not state that any consumer became ill or identify a specific medical consequence. It does show why counterfeit or unregistered medicines are concerning: the products were made without regulatory approval, in poor conditions, and without clear information about their manufacturer or origin.

At the Agege facility, production reportedly took place outdoors, with poor water and an unhygienic environment. Three products were recovered, including preparations marketed for sexually transmitted diseases and high blood pressure. One product also carried a registration number belonging to a cough syrup, making its labeling misleading.

NAFDAC sealed the facility and removed the products before further investigation. Consumers were urged to verify products before buying or consuming them. Because the article gives no confirmed patient outcomes, the specific effects on people who may have used these products remain unreported.

A registration number alone is not enough because counterfeiters can copy a legitimate number. Consumers should check whether the number matches the exact product name and examine other traceability details. This helps reveal products that only imitate regulatory approval.

NAFDAC advised consumers to use its online verification platforms and Greenbook. They should compare the displayed name with the product being presented and look for a manufacturer’s name, verifiable address, and batch number. In the Agege case, the copied number belonged to a cough syrup, not the blood purifier carrying it.

Consumers in rural communities with limited internet access can visit the nearest NAFDAC office for help. The agency is expanding awareness through radio programmes, multilingual jingles, and community campaigns. It also urged people to report suspicious manufacturing activities and products to the appropriate authorities.

A manufacturer’s name and verifiable address help establish a product’s origin. A batch number adds a specific identifier for the production group. Together, these details support traceability, which matters when regulators need to investigate a product or identify other units from the same source.

NAFDAC said the Agege products lacked the manufacturer’s name, verifiable address, and batch numbers. The agency also found a registration number that belonged to a different product. These missing or mismatched details made it harder to confirm who produced the items and whether the labeling was genuine.

NAFDAC urged consumers to check these details instead of relying only on registration numbers. The agency said product traceability was important and warned that absent details are major red flags. It is expanding public education and enforcement while asking consumers and property owners to report suspicious operations.