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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday, June 3, sealed four local rice milling companies in the Autabalefi area, Masaka main market, and motor park, all located in Nasarawa State.
During the operation, the agency also confiscated several items, including empty branded rice bags belonging to popular rice brands, sealing machines, sewing threads, measuring bowls, and two 50kg bags of rice allegedly linked to the milling companies.
In addition, NAFDAC suspended operations at the Nigeria Brewery Depot in Masaka due to improper storage conditions. A significant quantity of drinks was found stored outside the facility, directly under the sun—a practice the agency described as unhygienic and unsafe for consumption.
Mrs. Benedicta Obaseki, Deputy Director of the NAFDAC Greater FCT Office in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, stated that the agency’s enforcement action was prompted by reports from concerned Nigerians.
“The raid became necessary to prevent the circulation of substandard rice in the market, especially as Muslims prepare to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir,” she said.
She emphasized NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring the safety and quality of food products, particularly during festive periods.
“Many unscrupulous individuals see this season as an opportunity to flood the market with counterfeit and substandard products. We had to act proactively to safeguard public health,” Obaseki said.
“On behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, we have taken decisive action against the manufacturers of these rice products, as they failed to comply with our regulatory standards. The seized items will be properly destroyed to protect consumers,” she added.
Obaseki also stressed that fake rice poses significant health risks and warned that the agency would continue its market surveillance and enforcement operations.
She urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and only purchase rice from reputable sources, highlighting that recent investigations had uncovered various sharp practices.
“We also advise consumers to always check for NAFDAC registration numbers on food products. The safety of Nigerians remains our top priority,” she said.
Meanwhile, some business owners whose facilities were sealed denied any wrongdoing.
Miss Purity Obadiah, manager of one of the affected companies, told journalists that her company mills rice, corn, and cassava, and processes them for customer delivery. She claimed that while they do polish, de-stone, and package rice, they do not use branded bags from other companies.
“Last December, some customers brought new branded bags for us to use in packaging, but we declined. The owner of this company has instructed us never to accept such bags,” Obadiah said.
Mrs. Maris Kano, another affected business owner, also denied using branded bags belonging to other companies.
“The bags I used for repackaging my rice were purchased from the market. They were not branded bags from any known company,” she stated.
