The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested two suspects in an operation that uncovered a suspected counterfeit beverage production facility at Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, Lagos State.

According to information released by the agency, the suspects were allegedly involved in revalidating energy drinks and popular wine, bullet drink and whisky brands at the facility.

The discovery raises concerns about the safety and authenticity of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages circulating in the market, particularly where products may be tampered with or their dates and labels altered.

NAFDAC is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, packaged water and chemicals in Nigeria.

The agency’s enforcement actions are aimed at protecting consumers from substandard and potentially harmful products.

Consumers are advised to purchase beverages from reputable outlets, check product labels and packaging carefully, and report suspected counterfeit products to the relevant authorities.

Further details about the seized products, the identities of the suspects and the next steps in the investigation were not provided in the information available at the time of reporting.

The suspects’ alleged involvement remains subject to investigation, and the allegations have not been established in court.

The national assembly has requested for a comprehensive audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircrafts following the crash in Ondo state.

The call was made on Tuesday by the senate and house of representatives, whose members raised concerns about recurring military aircraft accidents and the need to strengthen maintenance, safety protocols and oversight of ageing fleets.

In the senate, the resolution followed a motion sponsored by Osita Ngwu, senator representing Enugu west, during plenary.

Lawmakers expressed concern that recurring military air crashes had claimed the lives of officers, raising questions about aircraft maintenance, ageing fleets, operational safety protocols and airworthiness.

The senate also warned that without a transparent and comprehensive investigation, lessons from the incident might not be learnt to prevent future occurrences.

In its resolutions, the senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of the victims and extended condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the chief of air staff, the NAF, the Ondo state government and the families of those who died.

It urged the NAF and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to conduct a thorough, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the crash and make their findings public.

The upper legislative chamber also mandated its committees on air force and aviation to visit the crash site, engage NAF authorities and conduct a holistic audit of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.

The senate also urged the federal government to prioritise funding for regular maintenance and the replacement of ageing military aircraft.

Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno north, seconded the motion and called on the relevant committees to conduct a comprehensive audit of aircraft in the NAF fleet.

“It is high time for our relevant committees to conduct a comprehensive audit to determine the serviceability and readiness of the aircraft in the fleet of the Nigerian Air Force, to determine their airworthiness, so that we will prevent a future occurrence of this ugly scenario,” he said.

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, proposed an additional prayer asking the senate to direct the leadership of the NAF to submit its aircraft maintenance budgetary provisions.

“It is my prayer that the senate directs the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force to make available to the senate, through the relevant senate committee, the budgetary provisions for the maintenance of the aircraft,” he said.

Titus Zam, senator representing Benue north-west, seconded the additional prayer, saying the inquiry should determine the amount allocated to the NAF for maintenance and whether the funding was sufficient to prevent the incident.

A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Monday that international terrorist organisation – Al-Qaeda – supported members of the proscribed terrorist group – Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) – to stage the May 15 attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government, Oyo State.

The court also heard that the attacks were to force the Federal Government to release their leaders who were arrested and being prosecuted.

A prosecution witness, identified as ‘BBB’, also told the court that upon the kidnapping of students and teachers during the attacks, the terrorists submitted a list containing 30 names of their leaders and members to the Federal Government, whom they demanded must be released; else they would kill the victims.

The witness testified on Monday as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of five men, said to be members of Ansaru, and accused of complicity in the Oriire attacks.

The five are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).

According to the prosecution, the defendants are from Okene Local Government Area (LGA), Kogi State; Daura LGA, Katsina State; and Suleja LGA, Niger State.

Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN), BBB said the operation effected by security agents, leading to the kidnap victims’ rescue, was informed by the FG’s refusal to negotiate with the terrorists and play by their demands.

The witness said he knew the five defendants in the course of his official duties, adding that he particularly knew the first defendant (Muhammad) in Maiduguri as one of the founding fathers of Boko Haram, who once served as the group’s Head of Security and Intelligence.

He said Muhammad, whose father is from Okene in Kogi State and whose mother is from Borno State, was among those who left Boko Haram in 2012 and set up the ANSARU group to propagate their ideology of establishing Islamic governance in the country and carrying out attacks on foreign nationals.

The witness said the group’s members believed that foreign nationals were killing their Muslim brothers abroad, hence their decision to kidnap and kill foreigners.

He recalled that the group’s members’ killing of seven foreigners in 2014 led the United States to designate Ansaru as a proscribed terrorist group and declared Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.

BBB said Muhammad led a series of kidnapping and killing operations when he took over the leadership of Ansaru and named the second defendant (Abbas) as the Head of Operations.

The witness said: “He (Mahmud Mohammed) led the attack on the Emir of Potiskum. 17 military officers and three civilians were also killed in one of the operations he carried out.

“He was arrested in 2025. It is part of their ideology that once any of their leaders is arrested, they will do anything to ensure his release. When Abu Bara’a (Muhammad) became the leader of Ansaru, he made the second defendant the head of operations.

“When the first defendant was arrested, the second defendant identified high-profile operations to be carried out to ensure that he is released.

“On November 4, 2025, they attacked the convoy of House of Representatives member, Jafaru Mohammed Ali, representing Agwara/Borgu; killed four military personnel and injured four DSS personnel.

“The reason for the attack was to kidnap him and negotiate for the release of the leaders, among whom are the first and second defendants.

“Their plan was to kidnap him, humiliate him publicly and demand that the FG release the first and second defendants who were in custody. They also planned to attack Wawa Military Base in New Bussa, Niger State, because they thought their members were being kept there.

“When the attack on Wawa failed, members of ANSARU strategically relocated to the South West, where they believed there were media houses to help amplify their demands to make the FG agree to the release of the first and second defendants and others of their members being held by the state.”

The witness, who said he was aware of the Oriire attacks, added that he was part of those who investigated the case.

BBB said: “The attacks were carried out by members of the ANSARU group. When they carried out the attack, they moved the victims to a secured location in a forest close to Old Oyo National Park

“They made a demand and submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders, to the government, warning that if their demands were not met, they would kill the victims.

“They were very hostile. The security agencies later launched an offensive at the forest. They shot at the security operatives and slaughtered one of the victims, and threatened to kill others if there were efforts to rescue the victims.”

The witness said after the terrorists killed two of the victims of the Oriire attacks, the security operatives saw the need to launch a rescue operation, knowing that the ANSARU members had a history of reckless killing of innocent souls.

Describing how he knew the third, fourth and fifth defendants, the witness said: “They are members of the ANSARU group that were in communication with some of the commanders, particularly one of the commanders, who was holding the Oriire victims.”

He stated that members of the ANSARU group carried out the Oriire attacks in furtherance of an ideology that was put in place by the leaders – the first and second defendants – that in the event of the arrest of their top leaders, members should engage in a series of operations (attacks) to force the FG to release their arrested leaders.

BBB said those behind the Oriire attacks actually pressured the government to release their leaders, but that the FG refused to negotiate with them.

He added: “They (the terrorists) submitted a list, including the names of first and second defendants, whom they wanted the government to release, else they will kill all the victims.

“Security agencies were able to secure the release of the victims. But unfortunately, we lost security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer. Two of the victims were also murdered prior to the rescue operation,” the witness said.