Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has advocated the death penalty for food and drugs counterfeiters, arguing that they would continue endangering lives unless they face the ultimate punishment.
Onanuga made the statement on Wednesday while reacting to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) discovery of a suspected fake alcohol production facility in Aba, Abia State.
In a post on X, he condemned those involved in the illicit trade, saying they lacked conscience and would not abandon their activities without harsher sanctions.
NAFDAC disclosed that its officials raided the facility at No. 25 Omenazu Street, Aba, following credible intelligence. The suspected operator reportedly fled upon the arrival of the agency’s enforcement team.
The raid uncovered a vehicle containing counterfeit packaging bearing the names of Sir Edwards Scotch Whisky and Scottish Hills Whisky, alongside empty bottles and a drum containing approximately 200 litres of liquid.
Other items recovered inside the premises included bottle caps, sealing machines, cartons, storage tanks containing suspicious liquid mixtures, dirty sieves, plastic buckets and 200-litre drums of ethanol. Officials also discovered tree bark soaked in ethanol.
The agency estimated the value of the equipment, materials and other components found at the facility at more than ₦500m, raising concerns about the potential health risks posed by the suspected products.
The discovery comes amid intensified enforcement against counterfeit and substandard goods. NAFDAC recently announced the seizure and destruction of fake and unwholesome products valued at over ₦5.3bn within a week.
The crackdown included an operation at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, where the agency reported recovering goods worth more than ₦2bn and arresting two suspects.
The House of Representatives has also called for stronger enforcement against fake and substandard food and beverages following several discoveries of suspected illegal production facilities.
However, existing Nigerian law does not prescribe the death penalty for counterfeit drug production or the manufacture and sale of unwholesome processed foods. The relevant legislation provides for fines of up to ₦500,000, imprisonment ranging from five to 15 years, or both.
As of the time of the report, neither NAFDAC nor the Presidency had issued an official response to Onanuga’s proposal.
NAFDAC urged members of the public to report suspected illegal manufacturing activities through its call centre on 0800-1-623322 or 0700-1-623322, or via email at reforms@nafdac.gov.ng.