NSCDC raids illegal juice factory, arrests two women in Lagos
Operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have apprehended two women in connection with an alleged illegal juice production facility in the Aradagun area of Badagry, Lagos State.
The facility, located on Talabi Onilegbale Street in the Olorunda Local Council Development Area, was raided around 9:00 PM on September 19, 2026. The suspects, aged 48 and 50, were taken into custody by personnel from the NSCDC Badagry Divisional Headquarters.
The NSCDC stated that the factory was operating without proper registration and that products branded as Barkas Juice were being produced under a supposedly fraudulent National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration number, 01-2166L.
During the raid, agents discovered a truck loaded with the unregistered juice, alongside numerous cartons of the product and rolls of labels inside the bungalow functioning as a production site. Part of the structure was reportedly being used as a residence.
Additionally, a contaminated well allegedly served as the water source for the production, while an unclean industrial storage tank was also found on the premises. The operation followed five days of surveillance after the NSCDC received intelligence regarding suspicious activities at the location.
According to agency representatives, the illicit products manufactured at the site were being distributed to parts of Nigeria, including Edo State. NSCDC spokesman Oluwaseun Abolurin reported that the operatives faced opposition from local youths during the raid, which led to a heightened security response, including collaboration with the Nigerian Army to safeguard the operation.
“Adulterated fruit drinks are being produced in this factory,” Abolurin stated. He emphasized the public health risks associated with unregistered fruit drinks and urged consumers to exercise caution in their purchases.
Abolurin confirmed that the NSCDC contacted NAFDAC to verify the authenticity of the registration number, and the agency confirmed that the drink was not registered. He also alleged that the product contained excessive levels of sugar, additives, and dyes, though no laboratory evidence was provided to support these claims.
The principal suspect, Morenikeji Alawiye, defended the facility, stating it had been established by her grandmother nearly 20 years ago. She acknowledged that the factory had faced closures in the past but claimed she was in the process of regularizing its operations prior to her arrest.
Alawiye asserted that her family initially produced bottled and sachet water but encountered difficulties, prompting her to seek assistance from an uncle at NAFDAC to obtain necessary approvals. She further mentioned that an aunt had connected the business with a potential customer in The Gambia interested in exporting the product.
