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Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Gombe zonal office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 26 suspects in a case connected to adultration of palm oil and seal off 32 shops in Gombe main market.
According the zonal head of operations of the anti-graft agency, Mr Michael Wetkas, who handover the suspects to NAFDAC for further investigation and possible prosecution, the arrest was as result of information provided by residents and surveillance carried out by the commission.
He said some of the suspects were caught in the act of mixing palm oil with substance suspected to be harmful to the health. “The chemical is are harmful and dangerous to humans health. We are handing over the suspects and keys to the sealed shops to NAFDAC for onward investigation and possible prosecution,” Wetkas told newsmen.
Recieving the suspects and keys on behalf of state office of the NAFDAC Mr. Laras Jatau, revealed that the commission is surprised to see palm oil dealers engaging in adulteration in spite of the series of sensitisation lectures carried out by the commission.
He assured that the commission would continue with the sensitisation to ensure that the public are sensitized on such activities bad elements operating in the market. He said the chemicals and victims arrested will be transferred to the commission’s directorate of investigations and enforcement for analysis.
One of the arrested suspects who was simply identified as Theophilus Samuel told newsmen that the substance used in the adultration do no harm to health and that was just to make the oil more reddish.
“It is not bad, it does no harm, I have been doing the business for eight years and I also consumes the oil and nothing has happened to me,” he said
