The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has refuted claims made by Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, regarding its involvement in the destruction of a truckload of sachet water seen in a viral video.
In a statement on Sunday, NAFDAC dismissed Wahab’s remarks, stating that the commissioner lacked accurate information about the incident.
The viral video, which surfaced on Saturday, showed a man using a sharp object to puncture packs of sachet water on a truck. The video’s caption suggested the act might have been carried out on orders from the state government.
“Bags of sachet water destroyed in Lagos state. Recall that the Lagos State Government had clarified back in October that the ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam, which is set to take effect from January 2025, will not include sachet water and PET bottles,” the caption read.
This post led many Nigerians on X to wonder if the government was planning to ban the sale of sachet water in the state.
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On Sunday, Wahab was quick to deny the state government’s involvement. He claimed that “they” had conducted an “investigation,” which concluded that NAFDAC was responsible for the destruction seen in the viral video.
“Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the individuals in question are enforcement officers from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Their actions are part of an enforcement exercise targeting sachet water that does not comply with NAFDAC regulations and in the interest of public health and safety,” Wahab said in a post on Sunday.
Eight hours after Wahab’s post, NAFDAC put out a counterclaim to reject the commissioner’s statement.
“The videos circulating of individuals engaging in enforcement activities are NOT NAFDAC officials or part of our Investigation & Enforcement team. Furthermore, stopping vehicles to destroy products is unprofessional and does not align with any NAFDAC Standard Operating Procedure,” the agency responded.
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