News
NAFDAC Uncovers Warehouse Containing Potassium Bromate, Unregistered Improver
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has uncovered a warehouse in Lagos containing potassium bromate tablets and an unregistered imported bread improver in Lagos even as it warned that henceforth, any flour product containing potassium bromate would be confiscated while the producer would be made to face the wrath of the law.
The agency has also arrested two people in connection with the importation and distribution of the banned products.
Disclosing this yesterday during a press conference on the arrest of the perpetrators in Lagos, the Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, explained that potassium bromate was a banned flour improver globally as it is a known cancer-causing agent.
Ejimunjeze said the product has been found to cause kidney failure among other ailments.
“Potassium bromate popularly known as tablets in the black economy is always attractive to merchants of death who want to make an outrageous profit at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing. NAFDAC wishes to state that there are recommended healthy flour improvers approved by the agency.”
She explained that apart from improving the texture of a loaf, it also increases its volume and it was relatively cheap.
“For example, the seized tablets could be used with 300,000 bags of 50kg flour to produce about 30million family-sized loaves of bread.”
Giving into the raid that led to the discovery of the ugly situation, she said: “On December 7, 2022, NAFDAC officers raided a warehouse in the Apongbon area of Lagos Island in Lagos where they found 115 cartons of Potassium bromate tablets. The tablets have a street value of N28, 750,000:00.
She added that the NAFDAC enforcement team also found in the warehouse counterfeit EDC Bread Improver, packed in sachets with a fake NAFDAC registration number 01-4242, worth N300,000:00.
Meanwhile, two people have been arrested in connection with the importation and distribution of the banned products.
She gave their names as; one Rapoluchukwu Joseph who is the importer.
Other counterfeit products found in the warehouse include; 400 cartons of counterfeit super delicious cooking margarine with fake NAFDAC registration number:- (a1-2508) and Manufactured date:- 25/01/2022, Expiry date:- 25/01/2024 with various batch numbers.
She further disclosed that the NAFDAC had since September 9, 2022, commenced an investigation which led its operatives to a long span of operations at four states of the Federation namely; Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Abia and Lagos states.
“After rigorous and painstaking efforts, the agency’s operatives traced and arrested one Owerekwe Obinna Michael ‘male’ 46 years of 12 Boundary Street, Aba, Abia State as the importer of the counterfeit product.
“At the point of his arrest, the suspect upon sighting the operatives completely destroyed his mobile phone so that the evidence will not be traced to him. He also fought the operatives but was instantly overpowered, arrested and taken into custody.
“He confirmed that he actually imported 400 cartons of the product with the above details from Dubai through groupage and cleared at Onne Port, Port Harcourt.
“He claimed that the shipment was delivered to him by a clearing agent, whose name he did not yet disclose. He also admitted to distributing the product to markets across the country.
“Preliminary examination of the product showed that the actual manufacturer’s name was not written, but produced for a company in Indonesia.”
She enjoined Nigerians to watch out for these injurious products anywhere in the country and report the same or any suspected fake/counterfeit or unwholesome product to any nearest NAFDAC Office.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers4 days ago
Four Internet Fraudstars Get Different Jail Terms In PH
-
Business3 days ago
Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund For LIFE-ND Project
-
Business4 days ago
PH Women Plan Alternative Stew, Shun Tomato High Prices
-
Sports4 days ago
Nigerian Athletes Serving Doping Bans
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Ex-IYC President Lampoons Atiku’s Presidential Ambition … Declares It Negative Impact On N’Delta
-
News4 days ago
Tinubu Never Stopped 5-year Visa For U S. Citizens – Presidency ?
-
Featured3 days ago
INEC To Unveil New Party Registration Portal As Applications Hit 129
-
Business4 days ago
Industry Leaders Defend Local Content, … Rally Behind NCDMB