The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) arrested 10 suspects involved in the production of adulterated beverages and shut down the Cemetery Market in Aba, Abia State. The Director of NAFDAC’s South-East Zone, Martins Iluyomade, revealed that the suspects had converted over 240 shops meant for traders into illegal production centers for large-scale adulteration of beverages and drugs.

During a raid that began on Monday, Iluyomade described the situation as alarming, noting that the extent of the illegal activities was worse than Boko Haram due to the widespread public health dangers posed by the fake products. He added that four trailers could not carry the fake products confiscated during the raid.

NAFDAC took the decision to temporarily close the market in order to sanitize the area, as the illegal operations had led to significant health risks. The agency also moved to take further action, with ongoing arrests and plans to address the issue.

The Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) condemned the adulteration activities as “man’s inhumanity to man” and called for strict penalties, including capital punishment, for those involved in the production and sale of fake products. COSEYL urged the Abia State government to support NAFDAC’s efforts to clean up the Cemetery Market.

Civil rights groups like the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) also voiced their concern, likening the actions of the perpetrators to terrorism and calling for more serious measures to prevent such activities in the future.