By Fatima Saka
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, has shut down an unregistered juice factory in Badagry following the discovery of a production process involving water, synthetic flavourings, artificial colourants, industrial sweeteners and chemical preservatives.
The operation also led to the arrest of two women, aged 48 and 50, who were allegedly linked to the production and distribution of adulterated fruit juice branded as “Barkas Juice.”
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SC Oluwaseun Abolurin, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the operation followed five days of surveillance by NSCDC operatives in Badagry in collaboration with a Nigerian Army formation in the area.
According to him, the operation was conducted after intelligence gathered through community engagements and information-sharing between residents and the NSCDC.
Abolurin said some violent youths attempted to resist the operation but were prevented from disrupting the exercise, allowing the operatives to secure the premises and arrest the suspects.
He said preliminary investigation showed that the alleged fake juice was produced by mixing water with synthetic chemical flavourings, industrial sweeteners, artificial colourants and preservatives, without the use of real fruit.
The NSCDC spokesman said the lead suspect and owner of the business, whose name was withheld, confessed that the business had been inherited from her grandmother about 20 years ago.
He quoted the suspect as saying that her grandmother initially produced water before the business was expanded into the production of Barkas fruit juice.
Abolurin said preliminary findings indicated that the adulterated product contained high levels of sugar, water, colourants, dyes and additives, raising concerns over potential health risks to consumers.
He added that the product was allegedly being manufactured in an unhygienic environment and distributed to markets in Lagos, Benin City, Edo State, and other parts of the country.
The spokesman also alleged that the product was being marketed with a supposedly fake NAFDAC number, “01-2166L.”
Among the items recovered at the factory were a truck, cartons of the suspected adulterated juice, production machinery, chemicals, drums and a gas cylinder.
The NSCDC State Commandant, Mr Adedotun Keshinro, ordered the immediate shutdown of the unregistered factory pending further investigation.
Keshinro, according to Abolurin, said the suspects would be subjected to further investigation and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
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He also directed the Command to collaborate with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant agencies to ensure appropriate action is taken over the alleged adulterated products.
The Command said the operation underscored the importance of sustained community engagement and intelligence-sharing in tackling activities capable of endangering public health and safety.
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