NAFDAC seizes smuggled vegetable oil and 40,000 cartons of soap

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stopped tankers carrying suspected smuggled vegetable oil and a truck full of soap that entered Nigeria illegally.

NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, shared this information during a press conference in Lagos on Friday.

Mr Iluyomade explained that the smuggled goods came through illegal land borders.

He said these seizures are part of ongoing efforts to fight economic sabotage and protect consumers and the health of the nation.

Mr Iluyomade noted that three tankers, each with a 66,000-litre capacity, were smuggled from Ghana using fake plate numbers. He added that investigations are still ongoing to find out the real content of the oil and its street value.

He also mentioned that the truckload of soap had 40,000 cartons, with an estimated street value of N500 million.

He said: “Smugglers have adopted various tactics to evade detection, including changing vehicle registration numbers and disguising prohibited imports as legitimate cargo.

“We have observed increasing smuggling activities along the land border corridors.

“Some of these trucks claim to be carrying vegetable oil, but investigations revealed that the products are imported through prohibited channels.

“NAFDAC is concerned about the health risks associated with smuggled goods because they often bypass regulatory inspections and certification processes,” he added.

According to him, imported vegetable oil and some other products are on the federal government’s list of restricted items to encourage local production and create jobs for Nigerians.

Mr Iluyomade said five people arrested in connection with the seizures are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation.

He mentioned that the agency will keep working with security agencies to increase surveillance along land borders to stop the illegal importation of prohibited goods into the country.

The director also repeated the government’s directive that trucks transporting edible oils must be clearly marked and used only for that purpose.

He said enforcement of this directive has begun, warning that any truck found breaking the rule will be impounded.