NSCDC Busts Illegal ‘Barkas Juice’ Factory In Badagry, Arrests Two Women

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command, has busted an illegal factory in Badagry, Lagos State, where adulterated fruit juice branded “Barkas Juice” was allegedly being produced, arresting two women aged 48 and 50. The command’s spokesperson, Oluwaseun Abolurin, said in a Monday statement that the suspects were arrested after about five days of surveillance by Badagry operatives in collaboration with a Nigerian Army formation, with the raid conducted between 9pm Saturday and midnight Sunday.

Preliminary investigation showed the product contained high sugar levels, water, colourants, dyes and additives without real fruit, produced in an unhygienic environment and distributed to markets in Lagos, Benin City and other parts of the country under a suspected fake NAFDAC registration number, 01-2166L. The lead suspect reportedly confessed that her grandmother started the business as a water production venture about 20 years ago before it was expanded into juice production, which she inherited.

Items recovered from the factory included a truck, cartons of the juice, machinery, chemicals, drums and a gas cylinder. The NSCDC warned that consuming such adulterated products could cause serious health consequences, including Type 2 diabetes and liver and kidney failure.

Lagos State NSCDC Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, said the suspects would face further investigation and prosecution, and ordered the immediate closure of the unregistered factory, assuring that the command would collaborate with NAFDAC and other agencies to ensure justice is served.