NAFDAC shuts 4 Kano warehouses, arrests two over banned chemical substances

The company additionally arrested two suspects over the alleged unlawful storage, distribution, and sale of banned chemical substances within the state.

The Deputy Director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Emmanuel Andrew, disclosed this throughout an enforcement operation in Kano on Thursday.

He stated the operation was a part of efforts to implement the ban on Paraeforce, generally often known as Paraquat, which the company prohibited in 2022 due to its dangerous results on human well being and the setting.

He defined that the chemical can stay within the soil and contaminate the setting, significantly water sources, thereby creating critical dangers to public well being.

Andrew stated NAFDAC started implementing the ban in January 2024, including that the quantity of prohibited chemical substances found throughout the newest operation was alarming.

He disclosed that the enforcement group inspected greater than 10 warehouses and located suspected unlawful merchandise in a number of areas.

At Panisau, the company sealed a warehouse after discovering managed chemical substances suspected for use within the manufacturing of illicit medicine.

Another property at Jaba, allegedly used for the unlawful manufacturing and repackaging of chemical substances, was additionally shut down.

The director stated, “Investigators recovered cartons of chemicals linked to companies operating in Lagos and the Niger Republic, alongside a sealing machine and other packaging materials.”

He added that enforcement actions would proceed till all unlawful shares had been eliminated.

In one other operation, NAFDAC sealed a warehouse and arrested two individuals, together with its proprietor, after discovering 2,983 cartons of Paraeforce merchandise price greater than N200 million.

The group additionally discovered over 8,000 cartons of Crownquat, one other Paraquat-based product containing 2.76 grammes of Paraquat dichloride, valued at greater than N360 million.

A amount of Chlorpyrifos, one other chemical banned by the company, was additionally found.

Andrew stated all of the affected warehouses had been sealed and their homeowners can be invited for additional investigation.

In addition, the company seized 183 cartons of unregistered Dynewell syrup imported from Ghana. The merchandise had been found in an unfinished constructing within the Sharada space of Kano metropolis.

He warned Nigerians towards shopping for, utilizing, or distributing prohibited chemical substances, stressing that publicity to Paraquat may very well be deadly as a result of there isn’t a recognized antidote.

Andrew assured the general public that NAFDAC would proceed its enforcement operations to guard human well being and the setting.