Following concerns over the alleged use of expired and unsafe products, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down leading ice cream maker, Chocolate Royale, the Victoria Island  bakery, cafe, and restaurant located in Victoria Island, Lagos which has been offering its services to high end customers for over a decade.

The agency went further to seal off the Victoria Island residence of the company’s managing director, Amin Moussalli after discovering some harmful substances on the property. While searching through his home, they found unregistered or expired frozen food products.

The stop sale order that followed may cause  the company fall to its knees in no time. Chocolate Royale’s management, in an effort to salvage what is left of their reputation, made a futile attempt to evacuate pastries to their “Shoprite” and Lekki Phase 1 outlets. NAFDAC Director of enforcement Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, explained that they had no choice than to seal the other outlets to ensure that the management of Chocolate Royale stops the sale of poisoned food to the public.

The real question lies in how Mr Moussalli, the chairman of AIM consultants was able to bring in food products that were either expired or had only a few months left. The Lebanese businessman, who is currently at large, also owns several broadcast stations including Cool FM, Nigerian Info FM, Wazobia FM, Cool TV, Wee TV and Wazobia TV.

This occurrence immediately went viral as aggrieved customers and the entire Nigerian population took to social media platforms, not only to express their utter disappointment but also stress the need for caution raising questions surrounding whether there are other confectioneries doing this and the possibility that God may be punishing the rich for taking the “best” from the less fortunate.

Perhaps Chocolate Royal has also reached its expiration date.