The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a $1.4 million fraud scheme targeting foreign businesses, leading to the arrest of the alleged mastermind, Ikoro Mang Ifendu.
Ifendu and his syndicate reportedly deceived companies from China, Japan, Poland, South Korea, the UAE, and the U.S., tricking them into paying for fake NAFDAC product registrations using forged documents.
NAFDAC’s investigation, sparked by a complaint from a UAE-based company, exposed an elaborate three-tier fraud involving fake importers, fraudulent bank intermediaries, and counterfeit legal services. Over $950,000 was funneled into Nigerian bank accounts, with another $450,000 traced to offshore accounts. Even after Ifendu’s arrest, authorities intercepted a fresh $75,000 deposit.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, announced that the case would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and asset recovery. She urged businesses to verify registrations through official NAFDAC channels, vowing to intensify the agency’s crackdown on fraudulent activities.
More arrests are expected as the investigation deepens.
