NAFDAC uncovers illegal sachet alcohol production despite ban — DG

In February 2025, Mary Aderemi, a student in Abuja, Nigeria, became a victim of a violent crime involving a taser. Around 1 pm, she boarded an ash-coloured Volkswagen taxi near the Churchgate area of the city. Unbeknownst to her, the vehicle was operated by a criminal gang. As the taxi picked up three additional passengers, the driver and his accomplices began to assault her. One of the men brandished a knife, another produced a taser, and a third carried a gun. The taser was applied to her body, resulting in temporary paralysis. She was then tied, blindfolded, and taken on a forced journey through Abuja before being threatened with harm if she did not comply. Her phone was confiscated, and over N100,000 was withdrawn from her bank account. The perpetrators also used her personal information to obtain a loan, leaving her with ongoing financial obligations despite submitting a police report and court affidavit. This incident highlights a broader issue in Nigeria: the lack of regulation surrounding the sale and use of tasers. While tasers are commonly employed by trained security personnel in many countries to subdue aggressive individuals, they are increasingly accessible to civilians in Nigeria. According to reports, the devices are readily available without legal oversight. A taser operates by delivering approximately 50,000 volts of electricity, capable of temporarily disabling a target. However, the absence of clear legislative control allows these tools to fall into the wrong hands, posing a serious threat to public safety. Legal experts point to the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act (2021), which aims to regulate the proliferation of weapons but does not explicitly address tasers. Similarly, the Nigerian Criminal Code classifies certain items as offensive weapons, including knives and spears, but does not specifically mention tasers. Under current law, the possession and use of offensive weapons can lead to charges of felony and up to three years' imprisonment. Yet, the ambiguity surrounding tasers leaves room for exploitation by criminal elements. DUBAWA, a Nigerian investigative journalism outlet, conducted an investigation revealing that tasers are widely available to the general public. Attempts to clarify the legal status of taser ownership were met with silence from key officials, including the Nigeria Police Force's former spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, who stated that the law does not permit individual ownership. Despite repeated inquiries, responses remained elusive, underscoring the lack of transparency and clarity regarding the legal framework governing these devices. Meanwhile, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, tasked with overseeing small arms regulations, has not responded to DUBAWA’s inquiry about the prevalence of tasers. This omission raises questions about the effectiveness of existing regulatory bodies in addressing emerging threats posed by unregulated weaponry. Separately, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been grappling with the illegal production of banned alcoholic beverages. In a recent crackdown, the agency uncovered ongoing violations of a federal ban on sachet alcohol and PET-bottle drinks below 200 millilitres. Enforcement teams raided multiple locations across Lagos, Ogun, and other states, recovering recently manufactured products with production dates as late as July 23, 2026. This indicates that illegal production continues despite the ban, suggesting a deliberate disregard for regulatory directives. Some manufacturers have resorted to operating from unregistered premises or removing signage to avoid detection. During the operation, NAFDAC officers faced physical assaults, with one nearly stabbed and another subjected to violence. The director general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, condemned these attacks as criminal acts and vowed to pursue legal action against those responsible. She emphasized that the agency would continue its efforts to remove banned products from circulation, shutting down violators and imposing penalties on distributors and retailers. The government’s decision to ban sachet alcohol and small PET-bottle drinks followed a recommendation from a high-powered committee formed in 2018. The committee, consisting of the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and industry stakeholders, recommended a five-year moratorium for manufacturers to phase out the products by January 31, 2024. However, compliance has been lacking, with some manufacturers persisting in their activities. Parallel to these developments, the Federal Government launched the National Policy on Non-State Schools in Nigeria in July 2025, aiming to improve regulation and quality assurance in the private education sector. The policy outlines comprehensive guidelines for the operation of non-state schools, including registration, curriculum adherence, teacher qualifications, and facility standards. However, one year later, none of Nigeria’s 36 states has fully implemented the policy. Only Rivers State has developed a framework that could facilitate domestication, though no formal action has commenced. Other states, including Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo, are in the process of drafting their own versions, while others show little to no progress. This delay has raised concerns among educators and policymakers about the feasibility of translating national policies into effective local governance.