Business
“Why I Don’t Take Food and Beverages in Aba “
Image credit: toppng
By Ichaburu Ochefa
Some time ago, a friend of mine living in Lagos State told me that whenever he is on business travels to Aba, Abia State, he doesn’t drink water or tea neither in the hotel he lodges nor buys from the shops outside.
Curiously, I asked him why.? “
They are fake products,” he replied. He added, “From water to tea, wine, spirits, juices, etc.
“I further asked, “So how do you survive while you are there.?
“I prepared myself from Lagos,” he said. “But there are fake products in Lagos, too, and all over Nigeria,” I told him as a matter of fact.
They are at Oke-Arin market on Lagos Island, Alaba International; the Oyingbo market … they are at Ogbete main market, Enugu …”
“I know, he cut me short and said: “Not like Aba; Aba is worst in counterfeiters…”
What my friend told me months ago matches the NAFDAC’s recent regulatory actions against fake product manufacturers in Aba.
An official statement from the agency on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, signed by Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director-General, described the Cemetery market Aba as ” the most dreaded and hitherto safe haven for the largest cartel ring for the manufacture of fake wines and beverages in Africa.”
NAFDAC further said that its enforcement agents, in collaboration with a large contingency of the military, DSS, and Nigeria Police, in a rare display of inter-agency cooperation, confiscated adulterated wines, fake food, and beverages valued at over N5 billion. ”
The current action of NAFDAC is the most audacious in the history of the market, with specific zones barricaded with iron welding and access gates locked to date.
The operation carried out was a follow-up to a similar raid that was carried out in December 2023.
Some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters included the manufacturing of all kinds of adulterated products especially different kinds of wine from a wide variety of brands ranging from the following: · Seaman Schnapps, Henessy, Four Cousins · Carlo Rossi, Jenney, Chelsea London Dry Gin · Schnapp Dry Gin, McDowells, Black Labels · Gordons, Martell, Campari, Smirnoff ice · Eva Non-Alcoholic Drink, Evra Non-Alcoholic Drink, Cartel and others.
As a consequence of the extensive operation, the agency raided over 240 shops and turned factories where the harmful products were being produced and marketed.
The shops turned factories are very filthy, using water from very unhygienic sources, harmful chemicals, saccharin, coloring, dirty recycled bottles, and cloned packaging materials of other brands.
The adulteration of alcoholic beverages by criminal elements in the country is done by mixing cheaper sources of sugar and starch besides grapes or fruit, among other harmful chemicals unsuitable for human consumption.
Over 1500 cartons of fake and substandard products were destroyed during the operation.
The street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products in 2023 is estimated at over seven hundred and fifty million naira only. (N750,000,000).
The estimated value of products mopped up during the December 15, 2024, operation is five billion naira.
The products being revalidated and mopped up include: · Soft and carbonated drinks such as Fanta, Coca-Cola · Schweppes, Lacasera, Sprite, Hollandia Yoghurt · Super Commando Energy Drink, Feyrouz and Amstel Malta. Aside from drinks, notable fake home-use beverages such as: · Peak Sachet Milk, Cowbell Sachet Milk, Peak Chocolate Drink · Miksi Sachet Milk, Cadbury Chocolate Drink, and Ovaltine adulterated versions.
Before the evacuation of the products by NAFDAC, they were being produced in the market and neatly packaged and sold to unsuspecting consumers.
NAFDAC management appreciates the support from the Government of Abia State led by His Excellency Governor Alex Otti for his unwavering support for this project OPERATION CLEAN UP ABA.
The Mayor of Aba South, the interim management committee of the market, and other stakeholders have been working assiduously with NAFDAC on the project, leading to another discovery of three major warehouses stockpiling expired HOLLANDIA YOGHURT for revalidation on the 22nd of January 2025.
The Presidency says the bodies allegedly used by Adeyemi—including the so-called Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, and Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council—do not exist as government agencies.
The Presidency says a man identified as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly created and operated fake government agencies, forged appointment letters, and falsely claimed to have been appointed by Femi Gbajabiamila.
According to the statement:
The Office of the Chief of Staff discovered the alleged scheme after complaints from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) that an unauthorized body was operating in a way that conflicted with its functions.
The Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force in October 2025 to investigate alleged forged appointment letters.
The Presidency says the bodies allegedly used by Adeyemi—including the so-called Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, and Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council—do not exist as government agencies.
Investigators allege Adeyemi operated from an office in the Federal Secretariat Complex, held meetings with diplomats, and sought diplomatic support to obtain U.S. visas for members of the alleged organization.
Police reportedly recovered forged documents and other exhibits during searches of his office and residence.
The investigation allegedly found that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts, including several in the names of fictitious organizations, and used forged documents to open a Central Bank of Nigeria account.
The Presidency says no government funds were paid into that account.
Police charged Adeyemi and two others before the Federal High Court on multiple counts, including forgery, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence. The case is scheduled for hearing on July 27.
The Presidency also denied claims that Gbajabiamila appointed Adeyemi, stating that appointments to federal offices are issued through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, not the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Current status
The Presidency maintains that:
the agencies in question are fictitious,
the appointment letter was forged,
Adeyemi is an impostor,
and the allegations against him should be resolved by the court.
As the case is pending before the court, the allegations remain subject to judicial determination.
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Business
CBN revokes 46 MFBs’ licences
According to the revocation order, the action became necessary because of one or more of: insufficient assets to meet liabilities; closure of operations without the CBN approval; and inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of 46 Microfinance Banks (MFBs).
CBN’s Ag. Director of Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi-Ali disclosed that the revocation becomes effective today.
She emphasised that the revocation was in accordance with its powers under Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020.
“The revocation was approved by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. OlayemiCardoso, following the banks’ failure to meet the regulatory requirements for continued operation as licensed financial institutions,” she said.
According to the revocation order, the action became necessary because of one or more of: insufficient assets to meet liabilities; closure of operations without the CBN approval; and inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation.
Others were: failure to commence operations within 12 months of licence approval, and failure to maintain minimum capital funds unimpaired by losses.
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