The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has characterised the attack on its officials at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex on Thursday as part of a wider plan to eliminate top members of the organisation.
NAFDAC officials acting on intelligence stormed Lagos Trade Fair on the fateful day to confiscate fake and substandard goods in the market and arrested perpetrators.
The occasion turned violence as they were attacked by hoodlums with their operational vehicles destroyed and vandalised.
Speaking to newsmen on Saturday, NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, who led the operation said the the ugly incident was premeditated and coordinated from within the market.
Iluyomade declared the assault was part of a ploy to assassinate senior officials of NAFDAC.
“From reliable intelligence, this was planned. The market’s Chief Security Officer, who was accompanying us, issued a directive on their internal platform ordering all cluster leaders to act immediately. That was the signal for the lockdown and assault.
“They locked the gates and started throwing stones. We had to escape through three locked gates under attack. If not for the calmness and professionalism of the police and military personnel with us, there would have been casualties.
“This is not the first time our officials have faced such attacks. In 2022, one of our officers narrowly escaped death in the same market. But no individual or group is above the law,” he narrated.
