NSCDC, SON raid fake agrochemical factories in Gombe
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in collaboration with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), on Thursday raided two illegal agrochemicals factories involved in adulteration and sale of the commodity within and outside Gombe State.
The illegal factories are located in Kagarawal community in Gombe State.
During the exercise, three suspects in connection with a syndicate specialised in the crime were detained.
Briefing journalists during the exercise, the Gombe State Commandant, NSCDC, Muhammad Mu’azu described the perpetrators of the crime as unpatriotic in view of the damage being done to the food security effort of government.
Mu’azu said that the main suspects had gone out to supply their products and would be arrested as soon as possible.
He said that further investigation would be carried out and upon conclusion, the suspects would be taken to court for prosecution.
He assured that all those in connection with the crime would not be spared as their activities were costing unsuspecting farmers who patronise them their hard-earned money.
Explaining further, Mr Mohammed Alhaji-Bukar, the Director, SON, Gombe State office said that the raid was as a result of intelligence report after carrying out rural markets surveillance.
Alhaji-Bukar said that his agency in collaboration with NSCDC had intensified efforts to rid the state of adulterated agrochemicals to enable farmers get value for their money.
He said that the chemicals found at the illegal factory were used to adulterated pesticides and herbicides before selling to farmers mostly in rural areas.
He said that the suspects buy the real agrochemicals, get their packaging materials, mix them with other chemicals and repackage them for sale.
He said that the suspects take their finished products to various parts of the country, “the main suspect and owner of this factory has gone to Taraba State to supply his products.”
“The products here are of different brands and are all faked; having original containers and labels but fake contents.
“They buy the actual material, active ingredients and then buy the original and packaging materials of the products they use to sell.
“And then mix another chemical and put in those chemicals and sell it out in the name of the product of the real company.
“So you see your product in the market but it was produced here, some of the containers show that the products were made in South Africa, yet the factory is here,” he said.
Alhaji-Bukar warned the his agency in collaboration with NSCDC would sustain their effort to ensure that sub-standard materials do not find their way to the markets.
