The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested six individuals and sealed several shops in Sabon Gari, Kano State, for engaging in the illegal sale of skin-bleaching creams.

Kano State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mr. Kasim Ibrahim, disclosed this during a press briefing on Tuesday.

He said the enforcement operation followed public complaints lodged through social media and a subsequent directive from the agency’s Director-General.

“Following complaints received through various social media channels and a directive from the Director-General, we carried out discreet surveillance and mystery shopping on the products in question,” Ibrahim said.

He explained that investigations revealed the suspects were marketing the unapproved creams as spa treatments, even though they contained harmful substances.

“After thorough analysis and robust discussions, we identified approximately six individuals involved in these illegal activities,” he added.

The raid, conducted in collaboration with NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, resulted in arrests, product profiling, sample collection for laboratory testing, and the sealing of the implicated shops.

Ibrahim noted that other companies caught producing fake or unregistered cosmetics were also shut down pending further regulatory action.

“This is part of our mandate to prevent the circulation of unsafe products and protect public health,” he said. “These activities posed serious risks to consumers, and we had to act to prevent a potential health crisis.”

He urged members of the public to report suspicious products and sales, saying NAFDAC, under the leadership of Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, remains committed to the strict enforcement of safety regulations.