Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) came under violent attack during an enforcement operation at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
The operation, led by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) and Chairman of the Federal Task Force, was part of NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to curb the sale and distribution of fake, substandard, and unwholesome products in Nigeria.
According to a statement released by the agency, the exercise began peacefully but turned chaotic when a group of armed thugs launched an assault on the enforcement team.
The attackers, believed to have been hired to obstruct the operation, demanded to identify the NAFDAC Director before vandalising about ten operational vehicles belonging to the agency and other security operatives.
NAFDAC disclosed that credible intelligence suggested the attack was premeditated and targeted at senior officials, particularly the Director (I&E).
The agency further alleged that the market’s Chief Security Officer ordered all cluster leaders to lock the gates, preventing the officials from leaving the complex during the incident.
At the time of the attack, several cartons of counterfeit, banned, and unwholesome products had already been discovered and seized in line with the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C.34 LFN 2004.
The agency commended the Nigeria Police and military personnel attached to the operation for their professionalism and restraint, which helped ensure the safety of the officers despite the volatile situation.
NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate enforcement officers and derail the agency’s mission to protect public health.
“NAFDAC will not be intimidated or deterred from fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding the health of the nation,” Prof. Adeyeye stated.
> “All individuals involved in this criminal act will be identified and brought to justice.”
She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that only safe, quality, and effective products are available in the Nigerian market.