Presidential Media Aide Onanuga Calls for Death Penalty for Counterfeiters

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has called for the death penalty for counterfeiters following the discovery of a suspected fake alcoholic drinks production facility in Aba, Abia State.

Onanuga made the call on Wednesday in a post on X while reacting to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) discovery of the facility.

“These counterfeiters certainly have no conscience. Until we start imposing a death penalty on them, they will never stop their nefarious activities,” he wrote.
NAFDAC said its enforcement team uncovered the facility at No. 25 Omenazu Street, Aba, following credible intelligence about suspected illegal alcohol production. The agency said the suspected operator fled upon the arrival of officials, leaving behind a vehicle containing packaging materials bearing the names of Sir Edwards Scotch Whisky and Scottish Hills Whisky, empty bottles and a drum containing about 200 litres of liquid.
A search of the premises reportedly revealed bottle caps, sealing machines, cartons, tanks containing unidentified liquid mixtures, dirty sieves, plastic buckets and drums of ethanol. Officials also found tree bark immersed in ethanol, raising concerns about the safety and quality of alcoholic drinks allegedly produced at the facility.

The agency estimated the value of the equipment, materials and other components recovered at more than ₦500 million. It urged members of the public to report suspected illegal manufacturing activities to support efforts to prevent unsafe and counterfeit products from reaching consumers.

However, Onanuga’s statement was a call for tougher punishment, not an announcement of a new government policy or a change in the law. Existing legislation prescribes fines and prison terms for certain counterfeit-drug and unwholesome-food offences, rather than the death penalty.