In a major successful operation, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has busted a notorious syndicate that has been duping foreign companies with fake NAFDAC documents.
The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said this at a media briefing held on Friday in Abuja.
She said Ikoro Ifendu from Amamba Village, Abiriba in the Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, who is the prime suspect was arrested on February 7, 2025, at Ogborn Hills, Aba, Abia State.
According to Adeyeye, Ifendu, a clothing merchant and SSCE holder, has been impersonating NAFDAC officials, thereby defrauding foreign companies of substantial sums of money.
He allegedly masterminded a series of fraudulent schemes targeting companies across multiple countries, including Thani Almaeeni Trading Group in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Adeyeye shed light on the syndicate’s tactics, stating: “The fraudsters operated through a complex three-pronged scheme involving a buyer, a bank, and a lawyer.
“They would contact foreign companies seeking to import goods into Nigeria, then introduce them to a supposed bank for payment processing.
“The bank would claim that the goods required NAFDAC approval, after which the companies would be referred to a fraudulent lawyer who would collect payments in installments, issuing counterfeit NAFDAC certificates and receipts.
“Our investigation revealed that the group operates 15 domiciliary and five local accounts in seven Nigerian banks. One of these accounts has a BVN linked to two key members of the syndicate, Ikoro Mang Ifendu and Rosemary Obosi.
“However, the full extent of their financial operations is yet to be determined, as some accounts and alert messages have been deleted.”
According to Adeyeye, more than $950,000 had been deposited into the fraudster’s Nigerian bank accounts, while an additional $450,000 was traced to offshore accounts in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
She added: “Even as we speak, unsuspecting victims are still depositing funds into these fraudulent accounts. Just before this press conference, we received an alert of $75,000 in one of the domiciliary accounts.”
Adeyeye said the fraudster had created and issued several counterfeit documents, including: “A Certificate of Registration for dried fish (Seafood) with a fake NAFDAC Registration No. A2-7059, issued to Thani Almaeeni Trading Group in Abu Dhabi.
“Revenue receipts for fraudulent payments, including N6.6 million, N20.9 million, and N6.8 million to different foreign firms.
“Fake processing requirement documents demanding $13,785, fraudulently signed in the name of a former NAFDAC Director-General who retired a year earlier.
“These fraudsters were highly sophisticated.They used forged letterheads, fake revenue receipts, and counterfeit NAFDAC certificates to make their scams appear legitimate.”
According to Adeyeye, other foreign companies that were similarly scammed include Japan Long Tie (China) Co. Ltd., Jinan, China – for condom importation, Aquaforest SP, Brzesko, Poland – for registration of drinks and vegetable oil, Nomea Srl, Italy – for NAFDAC product registration, Tianyan Filter Cloth Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China, and Siam Canadian China Ltd., Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC, on conclusion of its investigation on the falsification of regulated products, would transfer the case to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for further investigation.
“This case is beyond NAFDAC’s mandate. We will hand it over to the EFCC to expand the investigation into other areas, including tracking assets illegally acquired through these fraudulent activities under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“The Federal Task Force and State Task Forces will also be reconstituted to enhance enforcement efforts nationwide.
I want to assure Nigerians that NAFDAC is taking this issue seriously.
“We have strengthened our investigation and enforcement activities to curb fraudsters who exploit innocent businesses,” the NAFDAC DG said.
She cautioned companies against partnering with consulting firms that promise to facilitate product registration, instead recommending that companies verify registration status directly through NAFDAC’s official portal at https://registration.nafdac.gov.ng/.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant. Do not transact with individuals or companies that claim to facilitate NAFDAC registrations outside our official platform.”
Persecondnews recalls that the agency had destroyed N120 billion worth of seized counterfeit products in the last six months of 2024.
It also launched raids on supermarkets in major cities, including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Aba, Ibadan, Kaduna, and the FCT, targeting manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit medicines and unhealthy food products.
In light of the severity of the issue, Adeyeye had suggested death penalty for individuals convicted of trafficking counterfeit and illicit drugs.
Adeyeye spoke on February 7, 2025, when she appeared on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief”, monitored by Persecondnews.
She said: “Only stiff penalties will deter peddlers especially when it leads to the death of children.”
