Agency Arrests Suspect Producing Fake Agrochemicals In Niger State

The Niger State Coordinator, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr James Kigbu, has revealed the arrest of a suspect, Kabiru Idris, who produces adulterated agrochemicals in the state.

Kigbu revealed this when the suspect was brought to the agency’s office in Minna with some of the adulterated products.

In a statement by the coordinator, it was noted that the agency embarked on surveillance on agrochemicals within Niger state and arrested one Alhaji Kabiru Idris in Makira, Mashegu Local Government Area, where he produces fake agrochemicals.

“Our investigations so far reveal that he is the producer and distributor of agrochemicals known as Dudual 45 per cent used for pest control,” he said.

According to Kigbu, Idris has confessed to the crime and is helping the agency investigate the illicit trade.

He explained that after investigations, the suspect would be charged to court and made to pay the necessary fines with a written undertaking from the court not to engage in such unwholesome activity again
Idris, 42, who hails from Mashegu area of the state, told the media that he had been in the business for nine years now.

Meanwhile, the NAFDAC Coordinator said that before the arrest of Idris, the agency noticed that hawkers with no fixed addresses were selling many agrochemicals to unsuspecting farmers in the state, especially in the rural areas, and added that when the agency arrested some of the hawkers, they revealed that many of them came from Kano State to engage in the unwholesome trade.

Kigbu said that it was discovered that the agrochemicals they were selling were fake and expired.

“The hawkers told us that after each farming season they stored the chemicals and continued with them again in the next farming season,” he said.

Kigbu stated that those who engage in unethical practices use empty containers of original products to adulterate agrochemicals and defraud unsuspecting farmers.

He cautioned farmers in rural areas to always purchase their agrochemicals from a government-approved retail outlet to avoid damaging their crops with adulterated agrochemicals.

Agro Nigeria