The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over the level of micronutrient deficiency among Nigerian children between the ages of one and five.

Benue State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mr. Anikoh Ibrahim, raised the alarm yesterday when he led officials of the agency to markets in the state, for an on the spot random testing for micronutrient fortification compliance in sugar, flour, salt and vegetable oil products, being sold in the market. He explained that the agency embarked on the nationwide exercise following discovery that one out of four children under the age of five is deficient in Vitamin A just as 31 percent of mothers in the country suffer from Iodine deficiency.

“We had to embark on this random testing because it has been discovered that one in four children under the age of five in Nigeria suffers from Vitamin A deficiency while about 31 percent of mothers in Nigeria are iodine deficient.”

Ibrahim who also disclosed that the agency would soon commence the closure of factories of edible food producers in the country whose products failed the micronutrient fortification compliance test listed malnutrition among children, death of young mothers during childbirth due to anemia and poor learning ability of children as consequences of micronutrient deficiencies.

"In the event of non-compliance to mandatory food fortification by manufacturers of vegetable oil, wheat/maize flour and sugar, necessary sanctions will be applied which includes immediate closure of the concerned factories."