The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration, and Control, NAFDAC, has called for efforts to sanitise Cemetery Market, Aba, Abia State, saying that some shops in the market have allegedly been turned into places for manufacturing fake products.

The regulatory agency made the call in Aba while briefing journalists on raids carried out by its personnel in the market on Monday and Tuesday, during which fake and expired products harmful to human consumption were discovered.

Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC South East Zone director, who addressed journalists on Tuesday, said that they got information about the goings-on in the market, which made them commence an investigation, during which they discovered illegitimate things happening there.

According to him, many shops were allegedly converted into manufacturing centres for all manner of wines and expensive drinks, as well as used for the revalidation of dates for expired products.

“We have the cooperation of the state government. So far, we’ve discovered 240 shops used for the illegal manufacturing of fake consumables. About 10 persons have been arrested and the arrest is still ongoing.

“No wonder we have all manner of health issues and the funny thing is that we use our money to buy this evil. Our DG is not leaving any stone unturned in getting rid of fake products in our market,” Iluyomade said.

Reacting to the discovery, the Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, frowned at the development and said it should not be treated with kid gloves.

Goodluck Ibem, leader of COSEYL, called on the National Assembly to find a way to amend the constitution to ensure that nothing less than capital punishment is prescribed as a penalty for the production and marketing of fake products.

He tasked the Abia State government with giving more support to NAFDAC to sanitise the markets of fake products to enable genuine businessmen to do their trading.

Also, the chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation in Aba, Prof. Charles Chinekezi, in his reaction, charged officials of NAFDAC and other law enforcement agencies to be more serious in dealing with perpetrators of such acts.

According to him, some perpetrators arrested for the same offence some years ago allegedly returned to their illegal businesses after they were released.