Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, have shut down an illegal factory in Badagry manufacturing counterfeit fruit juice, apprehending two female suspects linked to the operation.
The suspects, aged 48 and 50, were paraded on Monday, September 21, 2026, following a joint midnight operation by NSCDC operatives and local Nigerian Army units. The raid targeted an illicit facility producing a fake brand labeled “Barkas Juice.”
According to the NSCDC, the raid took place between Saturday night, September 19, and the early hours of Sunday, September 20, following five days of continuous surveillance.
The surveillance was made possible by actionable intelligence provided by local community members.
“The consistent community engagements organised to sensitise stakeholders in various communities continue. During the crackdown, security forces encountered brief resistance from local youths attempting to derail the operation, but military support ensured the factory was successfully secured and dismantled.
Preliminary investigations revealed that “Barkas Juice” contained no actual fruit. Instead, the product was formulated using water, synthetic chemical flavourings, industrial sweeteners, artificial colourants, dyes, and chemical preservatives.
The illegal operation was conducted in highly unsanitary conditions, using a fraudulent NAFDAC registration number (01-2166L). The fake juice was being distributed widely across Lagos markets, Benin City in Edo State, and several other states across the country.
Health authorities warned that consuming such adulterated products poses severe risks, including an increased likelihood of Type 2 diabetes, liver damage, and kidney failure.
During interrogation, the primary suspect and business owner confessed to inheriting the business from her family.
“My grandmother started with pure water production, which later upgraded to Barkas fruit juice production that I inherited about twenty years ago,” the 48-year-old suspect admitted during preliminary questioning.
Exhibits recovered from the site include a distribution truck, hundreds of cartons of fake “Barkas Juice,” manufacturing machinery, chemical drums, and gas cylinders.
Confirming the arrest, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Lagos State Command, Mr Adedotun Keshinro, fnarc, ordered the immediate closure of the facility and assured the public that legal action would follow swiftly.
“The suspects will undergo further investigation and be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Commandant Keshinro stated. “The unregistered factory used for the production of this adulterated fruit juice is ordered shut down immediately to avert further adverse health effects on unsuspecting consumers.”
Commandant Keshinro added that the Command is collaborating closely with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other relevant regulatory bodies to ensure thorough prosecution.
