Three nabbed for allegedly stealing expired cartons of spaghetti at NAFDAC dumpsite

The police have arrested three men for allegedly stealing cartons of expired spaghetti meant for destruction at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administrative and Control (NAFDAC) dumpsite in Sagamu area of Ogun State.

The suspects: Kabiru Amar from Kano State, Yusuf Ahmed from Gombe State and Mohammed Ibrahim from Yobe State, were at the weekend apprehended by the police stationed at the dumpsite to monitor the massive destruction of the expired and confiscated products by NAFDAC, worth N3 billion.

The suspects were caught carting away the expired products through the bush when the police apprehended them and handed them over to the agency.

When questioned, they said they stole the products because they were unemployed and hungry, adding that they pretended to be among those working at the site in order to steal the products.

Kabiru said: “I came here to look for job but was not given any. So, in order for me not to die of hunger, I decided to steal these cartons of spaghetti to feed myself.” The suspects, however, pleaded for mercy, asking the government to help them secure jobs.

The Director, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, who represented the Director General, Yetunde Oni, said the products being destroyed are made up of falsified, substandard and fake drugs, food, cosmetics and other regulated products seized by Customs; Federal Task Force and which were handed over to the agency.

He added that the stolen products have been recovered and burnt with adequate surveillance to prevent similar occurrence as the suspects have been handed over to the Sagamu police division and would later be charged to court.