In the heart of Alapere, Ketu—a busy community in Lagos—what looked like just another row of warehouses turned out to be a ticking time bomb. Behind those walls, authorities discovered a disturbing operation: expired food flavours, fake chemicals, unauthorised fertilisers, and pharmaceutical raw materials being repackaged and sold off as safe for public use.
It’s a frightening story that raises deep concerns about what could easily end up on our plates, in our bodies, and even in our environment. The bust, carried out by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), isn’t just another headline—it’s a wake-up call.
A Silent Threat in Broad Daylight
The operation came to light after NAFDAC received credible intelligence about a criminal network operating in the area. According to the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, the criminals had been masquerading as legitimate business people, running what appeared to be regular warehouses. But what they were really doing, Iluyomade said, was repackaging expired and fake chemicals, including some intended for use in food and drug production.
“These are not just regulatory infractions. These are deliberate, dangerous acts that could have claimed the lives of countless Nigerians,” Iluyomade told journalists at the scene of the raid.
Three warehouses were sealed during the operation. Inside, officials found barrels of expired food flavours, banned substances, and fertilisers so dangerous that their import or storage requires clearance from the office of the National Security Adviser.
Chemicals Meant for Crops, Redirected to Kitchens
One of the most shocking revelations was that some of the expired industrial chemicals were being sold to unsuspecting buyers for use in food production. Imagine your bread, drinks or even packaged spices laced with ingredients meant for industrial cleaning or crop treatment—all without you knowing.
“Some of these substances are toxic even in small quantities. When expired, their risk becomes unpredictable and potentially lethal,” a public health expert familiar with the case told us, under anonymity.
Even more troubling was the discovery of pharmaceutical raw materials—normally meant for controlled environments—being tampered with and possibly reintroduced into the supply chain through illegal routes.
How Did It Get This Bad?
Experts say Nigeria’s weak enforcement of consumer protection laws, alongside limited public awareness, makes it easy for dangerous products to slip through the cracks. The informal markets and loosely regulated warehouses in cities like Lagos create an ideal breeding ground for such criminal activities.
“We need tighter checks—not just at the ports—but across the distribution chains,” said another regulatory officer who declined to be named because they weren’t authorised to speak publicly.
NAFDAC’s Crackdown: Too Little, Too Late?
While NAFDAC’s action has been widely praised, some critics argue that the agency is often reactive rather than proactive. They point to the fact that such operations are rarely discovered early—only after significant risks have already been posed to the public.
Still, Iluyomade insists the agency is stepping up its intelligence-gathering and enforcement strategies, warning that more operations are underway across different states.
“This is just one of many. We are not stopping here,” he said.
What You Can Do
While the government ramps up enforcement, Nigerians are urged to be more vigilant. Don’t buy food additives, chemicals, or drugs from unverified vendors. Look out for expired labels, tampered packaging, and unusually low prices—often a red flag that something isn’t right.
If something feels off, report it. NAFDAC has hotlines and online platforms for whistleblowers. In a country where the line between fake and safe can be thin, every alert matters.
The Bigger Picture
This raid isn’t just about one warehouse or one crime ring. It’s a window into a deeper, systemic issue—how our public health can be silently undermined by greed, poor regulation, and a lack of accountability.
But it’s also a story of hope: that when systems work, and agencies act on credible information, lives can be saved.
NAFDAC’s discovery may have prevented a major health disaster. But the question remains: how many more of these operations are still out there, hiding in plain sight?
