News reports that the products were intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Onne Port between 2025 and 2026. The seized items included medicines, chemicals, tomato paste, biscuits and other consumer goods deemed unsafe for human consumption or use.

The destruction exercise took place over the weekend at the Rivers State Waste Management Agency dumpsite along Oyigbo Expressway, Elelenwo, in Port Harcourt.

The operation forms part of a nationwide campaign against fake, expired and substandard products worth more than ₦5.3 billion.

Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Martins Iluyomade, described the operation as the first phase of the destruction exercise.

Iluyomade, who also chairs the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, disclosed that additional seized products were expected to be evacuated from the port and destroyed.

He explained that preparations for the exercise had taken nearly two weeks, expressing optimism that improved collaboration among the relevant agencies would speed up similar operations in the future.

The NAFDAC official commended the Nigeria Customs Service for intercepting the products and called on the agency to facilitate the release of other seized consignments awaiting destruction.

Iluyomade stressed that combating counterfeit products was a critical national security concern, warning that unsafe food and fake or substandard medicines posed serious risks to public health and safety.

He said, “No single agency can tackle the menace of insecurity alone. When people cannot access safe medicines or eat good food, they are insecure.”

He assured Nigerians that NAFDAC would sustain its efforts to ensure that only safe food, medicines and other regulated products were available in the Nigerian market.

The agency also urged members of the public to report suspected counterfeit products through its official reporting channels, including its state offices and contact details published on its website.

Iluyomade cautioned Nigerians against immediately sharing suspected cases of fake products on social media before notifying the agency, explaining that such posts could alert those responsible and give them an opportunity to conceal the products before enforcement officers arrived.

He emphasised that information from the public remained essential to NAFDAC’s enforcement activities and called for stronger cooperation between citizens and regulatory authorities.

The NAFDAC official further warned manufacturers and traders involved in the production or distribution of counterfeit goods that the agency would continue to pursue efforts to bring offenders to justice.

Wike stated that politicians across different camps appeared to be competing to demonstrate their contributions to Tinubu’s anticipated victory, hoping to secure political benefits in return.

reports that the minister made the remarks during a meeting with political stakeholders in Rivers State, where he sought the support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s camp for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

According to Wike, politicians are positioning themselves to show the president the number of votes they can deliver in 2027 and subsequently make demands based on their contributions to his victory.

He explained that the prevailing political atmosphere had become a competition among different groups seeking recognition and a share of the benefits associated with supporting the president.

Wike said, “There is something going on now, like a competition. Everybody wants to say, ‘Mr. President (Tinubu), we are the ones that made you to win, see the number of votes we brought, so Mr. President, this is what we brought, what is our own stake?’ That is the politics we are playing now. It’s Mr. President, we are here, look at us too.

“Everybody in PDP must support Mr. President, that’s what we are doing. Everybody will collapse and vote for Mr. President.”

However, the FCT minister clarified that his push for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential election would not translate into unconditional support for the ruling party in other electoral contests in Rivers State.

He maintained that local political interests would continue to influence decisions regarding other elective positions, insisting that his camp would not allow the APC to dominate every contest in the state.

Emphasising his position, Wike said political calculations must take local realities into account, adding that he expected his own camp to secure benefits from its support for the president.

“But politics is local; we can’t allow them to take everything. I won’t go empty-handed,” the minister added.