The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested a local footballer, Mr. Ikechukwu Elijah, for running an illegal factory where counterfeit chemicals and insecticides were produced and distributed in the Apo-Waru area of Abuja.

The agency disclosed this in a statement signed by its Deputy Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Mr. Adegboyega Osiyemi, on Friday.

According to NAFDAC, Elijah operated the unlawful business inside a residential building, where he produced unregistered chemicals disguised as popular brands.

“Initially, when detectives reached out to him for questioning, he denied involvement. However, after a detailed search of the compound, he admitted ownership of the illegal facility. His younger brother was also arrested at the scene,” the statement said.

The raid, led by Mr. Embugushiki Godiya of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and a member of the newly inaugurated Federal Taskforce on Counterfeit and Substandard Medicines and Unwholesome Processed Foods, resulted in the seizure of sealing machines, industrial cylinders, large containers, and finished products from the factory.

In another operation, the agency sealed off MZEE Table Water, an unregistered water factory in the Damangaza district of Abuja. Investigators found that the company was producing various brands of sachet and bottled water in unhygienic conditions with a fake and expired license.

The factory had no certified borehole, water treatment system, or any standard requirements for approval. When contacted, the owner claimed the facility was registered but was not present during the raid. Only a co-tenant was found at the premises.

The enforcement team also stormed a shopping plaza opposite the World Trade Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District, where they confiscated counterfeit rice, packaging materials, and sealing machines used for re-bagging and selling fake versions of popular rice brands.

Mr. Godiya estimated the street value of the seized items at over ₦60 million. He credited the success of the operation to directives from the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who had mandated stricter field surveillance to ensure safe food and medicines for Nigerians.

He urged citizens to stop patronising suspicious products, warning that demand fuels the spread of counterfeit goods. He added that those arrested would face prosecution.

NAFDAC stressed that counterfeit and substandard products remain a major threat to public health and consumer safety. The agency said it has strengthened enforcement through the Federal Taskforce and will continue to crack down on fake medicines, chemicals, food, and beverages across the country.

It further appealed to Nigerians to report questionable products and only purchase items certified by NAFDAC.