Agency seals facilities after discovering alleged continued production despite federal restriction…..
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down three alcohol manufacturing companies in Ota, Ogun State, over allegations that they defied the Federal Government’s ban on the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and certain PET bottles.
The enforcement operation, carried out by officials from the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, was led by Assistant Director Kunle Ojo.
According to NAFDAC, inspections carried out across the affected factories uncovered multiple violations of the nationwide directive, prompting immediate regulatory action.
At the first factory, officials said they found sachet alcoholic drinks still being produced alongside large quantities of PET bottles. Although the products were initially placed under regulatory hold, a follow-up inspection allegedly revealed that the sachet drinks had been secretly removed from the premises.
NAFDAC described the alleged removal of the products as a serious breach of regulatory procedures, noting that the items had already been placed under enforcement.
At a second manufacturing facility, the agency said its enforcement team caught the company allegedly continuing to produce sachet alcoholic beverages despite the federal ban. The premises were immediately sealed.
The third company had previously come under NAFDAC’s watch during an inspection in January, when officials reportedly placed 22 production machines on hold and confiscated millions of PET bottles and sachet packaging materials slated for destruction.
However, during the latest enforcement exercise, the agency alleged that the company had broken the official seals placed on the equipment and resumed production of sachet alcoholic drinks. Inspectors also discovered millions of additional PET bottles at the facility, leading to its immediate closure.
Speaking on the operation, NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the nationwide ban, stressing that it would not tolerate attempts to evade regulatory measures.
The agency said the crackdown forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with government directives and protect public health by eliminating prohibited alcoholic products from the market.
NAFDAC also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report the illegal production or sale of banned sachet alcoholic beverages to the nearest agency office.
