Reality TV star Leo da Silva has ignited public anger, accusing big-name supermarkets in Abuja of peddling fake drugs and dangerous cosmetics. He demanded that NAFDAC raid every major outlet, warning that innocent Nigerians—especially women and children—are being poisoned by criminal syndicates in plain sight.
What Leo Da Silva Claims
Leo da Silva sounded the alarm on social media after posting a video exposing counterfeit products being sold by supermarkets in Abuja. He described a chilling scenario: consumers are buying items branded as trusted names—only to discover those NAFDAC-approved creams, medicines, and household items are lethal fakes. He urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to act fast: raid Sahad Stores, H-Medix, and others now.
NAFDAC’s Previous Raids
Leo’s plea echoes a major operation from April 2024, when NAFDAC stormed multiple Abuja supermarkets—Sahad Stores, H‑Medix branches in Wuse 2 and Gwarinpa, and Utako Market—seizing ₦50 million worth of counterfeit products. These included fake cosmetics like NIVEA cream, Jik bleach, Harpic cleaners, and Airwick fresheners.
The agency’s Head of Enforcement, Embugushiki‑Musa Godiya, described being shocked by counterfeit cosmetics sold at higher prices than the genuine products. He warned the public that these impostors could cause skin rashes, kidney damage, even cancer.
Scale of the Problem
In a nationwide crackdown highlighted in early 2025, NAFDAC destroyed over ₦1.37 billion worth of adulterated foods, drugs, and cosmetics in Abuja—part of a broader enforcement campaign across Nigeria. This included counterfeit medicines, rebagged rice, and dangerous narcotics found in major markets like Onitsha, Aba, and Lagos.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the agency has received death threats over its anti-counterfeit operations—a sign of how powerful these syndicates have become.
Leo’s Controversial Challenge
Leo’s video goes beyond mere exposure—it hints at political cover-ups and retail complicity, claiming that supermarket chains knowingly stuff shelves with fake goods while charging premium prices. He demanded immediate national inspections and revisions of NAFDAC’s surveillance strategy in Abuja, citing his personal fear for his family’s safety.
Conspiracy & Public Outrage
Online reactions to Leo’s video have been explosive. Many are asking:
- Are supermarket owners part of criminal webs protecting counterfeiters?
- Could big companies be using political connections to stay immune from raids?
Some social media threads accuse NAFDAC of selective enforcement, ignoring supermarket chains while targeting street hawkers.
This latest uproar brought by Leo da Silva taps into deeper fears: are Nigeria’s elite retail outlets complicit in poisoning the public? With NAFDAC’s long history of fighting counterfeiters—from Dora Akunyili’s days to the current DG—the demand is now louder than ever: root out every supermarket selling toxic fakes or lose public trust for good.
Full list of supermarkets under investigation, statements from the accused store owners, and confirmation of fresh NAFDAC enforcement in response to Leo’s claims would officially validate if this is just opinion or a brewing scandal.
