The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a sophisticated fraud syndicate involving the impersonation of NAFDAC officials and the issuance of fake documents to defraud foreign companies of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, disclosed this during a press conference held on Friday, 14th March 2025, in Abuja.
The mastermind of the syndicate, one Ikoro Mang Ifendu, a 52-year-old male native of Amamba Village, Abiriba in Ohafia LGA, Abia State, was arrested on 7th February 2025 at Ogborn Hills, Aba, Abia State. Ifendu, who holds a Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) and deals in clothing materials, is currently in NAFDAC’s custody and is cooperating with investigators.
The case came to light following a petition from Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE, which reported being defrauded while attempting to register dried fish (seafood) with NAFDAC. The company alleged that fraudsters, posing as NAFDAC officials, used fake NAFDAC letterheads and certificates to dupe them of thousands of dollars.
Prof. Adeyeye revealed that the syndicate operated a three-pronged scheme involving a buyer, a bank, and a lawyer. “The buyer contacts foreign companies to purchase and import goods into Nigeria. They then introduce these companies to a bank for payment. The bank falsely claims that the goods cannot be exported to Nigeria due to a lack of NAFDAC approval. A lawyer is then introduced to the companies, promising to secure NAFDAC certificates for a fee. The lawyer issues fake receipts and counterfeit certificates after receiving payments in stages,” she explained.
Extent of the Fraud
Investigations revealed that the syndicate operated 15 domiciliary and 5 local accounts across seven Nigerian banks. The Bank Verification Number (BVN) of one account was linked to two key members of the group: Ikoro Mang Ifendu and Rosemary Obosi. The exact number of accounts used remains unclear, as the suspects deleted some accounts and alert messages to cover their tracks.
Preliminary estimates indicate that over $950,000 was funneled into the syndicate’s domiciliary accounts in Nigeria, while an additional $450,000 was traced to offshore accounts in Cotonou, Benin Republic. Shockingly, unsuspecting foreign companies continue to send money to these accounts. “Just before this press conference, an alert of $75,000 was received in one of the domiciliary accounts,” Prof. Adeyeye disclosed.
Fake Documents Issued to Victims
Among the fake documents issued to victims was a “Certificate of Registration of Dried Fish (Seafood)” with NAFDAC Registration No. A2-7059, issued to Thani Almaeeni Trading Group on 16th December 2024. Prof. Adeyeye clarified that this registration number was never issued by NAFDAC.
Other fraudulent documents included:
- Revenue Receipt No. F4186 for N6,687,000 issued to Thani Almaeeni Trading Group on 28th November 2024.
- Revenue Receipt No. F9263 for N20,900,000 issued to the same company on 13th December 2024.
- Revenue Receipt No. F4186 for N6,819,200 issued to LILY BEE LTD, United Kingdom, on 28th November 2024.
A document titled “Processing Requirements” for USD 13,785, purportedly signed by a former NAFDAC Director-General who had retired a year earlier, was also uncovered.
Global Reach of the Fraud
The syndicate defrauded companies across multiple countries, including:
- Vicky Sales Assistant, Japan Long Tie (China) Co Limited, China (for condom importation).
- BEYOND-Korea, USA.
- Aquaforest SP, Poland (for registration of drinks and vegetable oil).
- Vincenzo Frecentese, CEO, Nomea srl, Italy.
- Tianyan Filter Cloth Co. Ltd, China.
- Siam Canadian China Ltd, China (for frozen onion spices).
Next Steps
Prof. Adeyeye announced that the case would be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation. “After exhausting the link to the falsification of NAFDAC-regulated products, this case will be transferred to the EFCC to expand the investigation to areas outside NAFDAC’s mandate. The investigation will also invoke the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) on all assets illegally acquired through these fraudulent activities,” she stated.
Public Advisory
NAFDAC urged the public to be vigilant and avoid transacting with companies claiming to be consulting firms for product registration. “The public is advised to visit https://registration.nafdac.gov.ng/ for product registration and verification of any suspected NAFDAC-regulated product,” she emphasized.
Prof. Adeyeye concluded by reaffirming NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting public health and ensuring the integrity of its processes. “NAFDAC remains customer-focused and agency-minded. We will continue to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability,” she declared.
