NAFDAC Seals 18 Warehouses in Niger
Nigeria’s drug and food regulator has sealed 18 warehouses in Bida, Niger State, after uncovering expired consumables valued at N100 million. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control confirmed that its enforcement team executed the operation following credible intelligence reports. Officials targeted storage facilities clustered around the Ndazabo White House along Minna Road, behind the Bida Modern Market. Investigators recovered thousands of expired food and beverage products during the coordinated raid. The seized items included non-alcoholic drinks, dairy milk, bottled water, candies, and pasta.
Authorities estimated the street value of the confiscated goods at over N100 million. Notably, operatives found 80,000 packets of expired non-alcoholic beverages already prepared for distribution. They also uncovered 5,000 packets of dairy milk and 16,000 packets of bottled water. Furthermore, officials seized 28 cartons of pasta alongside other assorted expired products. The agency immediately sealed the affected warehouses and arrested their managers for interrogation. Officials stated that preliminary findings linked the facilities to a company identified as BY Ventures. Consequently, investigators expanded the enforcement sweep to supermarkets reportedly owned by the same company in Minna.
In a related development, inspectors allegedly discovered additional expired products and counterfeit Goya oil in the supermarkets. Authorities promptly sealed the retail outlets to prevent further circulation of the items. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Yusuf Nadabo, appeared before regulators for questioning. According to the agency, he admitted ownership of the expired goods during interrogation. However, officials clarified that investigations remain ongoing.
Significantly, the agency stressed that it will impose regulatory sanctions upon concluding its inquiry. It emphasized that the enforcement action aims to deter similar violations nationwide. Although food inflation continues to pressure consumers, regulators insist that economic hardship cannot justify public health risks. Expired dairy and beverages can trigger severe health complications, especially among children and vulnerable groups. Therefore, the agency argued that strict enforcement protects both public safety and market integrity.
Above all, the operation signals renewed vigilance in Nigeria’s food supply chain oversight. Over the past year, the regulator has intensified surveillance across markets and distribution hubs. Officials maintain that intelligence-led raids will continue across states. For residents of Bida and Minna, the crackdown sends a clear message. Authorities will not tolerate expired or counterfeit consumables in circulation. As investigations proceed, the sealed warehouses stand as evidence of regulatory resolve.
Ultimately, the case underscores a persistent compliance gap within sections of Nigeria’s retail ecosystem. Nevertheless, regulators appear determined to close that gap decisively.