NAFDAC Raid: BBA President, Odogwu Frowns at Fighting Govt. Agencies on Duty

…Warns Counterfeiters’

The President of Balogun Business Association (BBA)/International Center of Commerce (ICC) inside the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Chief Oscar Paul Odogwu has dissociated his government and Chief Security officer (CSO) from a viral call to fight NAFDAC following recent raids carried out by the Federal Agency at the market on Thursday last week against fake and adulterated cosmetics.

Business Hilights recalls that NAFDAC had on Thursday last week raided the market in company of security agencies of fake and pirated unwholesome products following verified petition by original product owners in the market and made away with over 10 truck load of confiscated products.

Some of the affected plazas included Akwa Ibom and Niger plazas.

Undercover investigations by our correspondent on the momentary raids by NAFDAC revealed that whereas the federal agency has their paid informants in the complex, majority of the tailored raids arise from verified petitions by owners of original products that are faked by some business owners in the same market. And that is why whenever NAFDAC comes for raids, they move straight to the shops and warehouses where the adulterated products are packed with precision because the petition gave accurate details with little or no error of description.

However, speaking in anger-laden deep voice during last Friday’s Market prayers at the BBA Main gate, the aggrieved President, Chief Odogwu started by saying that “I have here with the DPO of trade fair police station; you’re welcome ma.

“Please I am really saddened. I’m saddened on what happened inside this complex yesterday (Thursday, October 27^th, 2025).

“There is no way we can play with the source of our livelihood. Let me say this. There is no way any governmental agencies will be stopped from entering this complex. Let us have that at the back of our mind and that is why what transpired here yesterday in every sincerity, means that we are playing with the source of our livelihood.

Odogwu explained further decrying that “yesterday the NAFDAC officials were beaten, their truck broken into and they were chased out of this market. In every sincerity, let us know that what we are doing is to our own detriment.

While revealing that what happened yesterday now, has gotten to Abuja, BBA President noted that “They are threatening to come and lock-up this complex and you have seen it. Look at what we are try to do to ourselves.

BBA President decried further that “Some people went as far as sending text messages to every platform that NAFDAC has come again, come out and fight them,” and queried “How will this happen? Why will someone send such a text message and at the end they said that it was CSO that sent it which is very wrong.

“Let me say it clearly, that sms never come from our CSO or any of our executive members. “Why will this happen inside this complex this is disheartening and it is saddening that we have to entertain this.

“If here is locked down, it is going to affect each and every one of us.

“Remember only the issue of LAWMA, that we were locked down for one week, you know what we suffered locking down here. It is not a big issue for the government, but for us and our daily bread.

Advertisements

“But the problem is opening it that is where the problem lies and I have to say. It to everyone. Please let us respect ourselves inside this complex because he who lives in a glass house, does not throw stones because one thing is very clear.

“NAFDAC cannot just wake up one morning and enter this complex to invade it. They work with petition.

“It is some of our members that have their products faked that went and petition them and that is why they came in yesterday (Thursday last week). That was what happened. They reported at the gate with their investigation documents. They came with DSS and every investigation they made. And before we know it, we went and called people and people started to throw stones at them.

That was the reason for the tear gas and the warning shots they fired in the air. And we need to let people know that peace need to be maintained.

“Please, I beg each and every one of us, please this is where we earn our livelihood. This is where we stay most times of the day and if here is taken away from us, sincerely we are going to feel it.

Please, we heard that some people are gathering this morning (Friday last week) to formulate trouble in the complex but no problem. Formulate the trouble. We will handle you and we are going to use them as a scape goat inside this complex. Go to your shop and do your business please.

“That is what we are pleading. So that we don’t enter into problem that we cannot come out from. We cannot fight federal government. Just know that. Remember that were we are sitting today is the property of the federal government. We can’t be inside this place and still fight government parastatal. So please if you are selling these products that have expired and you are changing the date please desist from it inside this complex because it is poison.

While warning that “nobody knows who is going to consume it, Chief Odogwu noted that “it might be your father or your sister that will consume it. Fake knows no tribe. Whether you be Hausa, or Yoruba or Igbo, fake product never know you.

A lot of the things are coming up, so many diseases, terminal diseases in this country are as a result of what we consume. So many people import substandard goods and sell to people in the quest to make money, but at the long run, that is money ritual “Onya ka anyi na kpo ogwu ego, eweghi ogwu ego kariri that one. “Ihe mmadu ga eri na onu, that they fake and sell to people, and you think you are making money. You are killing people please.

BBA President, Chief Oscar Odogwu concluded his address by begging everybody to desist from fakery and adulterated products, saying “I beg each and every one of us. Let us go to our shops. Do our businesses and maintain peace as we the Executives are on the matter. Thank you all.”

Efforts to get the view of the ED/CEO of Trade Fair Complex Managment Board, Barr. Vera Ndanusa on the incessant NAFADC raids in BBA/ICC failed as at press time.