The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, on Monday paraded three suspects for allegedly adulterating and distributing fertiliser in Ebonyi.
The State Commandant of the corps, Lucy Samu said, while parading the suspects (names withheld), that they were arrested at two locations in Abakaliki following a tip-off.
Samu, represented by the command’s Spokesman, Mr Paul Odimba, said they were caught adulterating fertilisers behind the Third-Lot of the state’s International Market, Azugwu.
“The command will conduct thorough investigation into this serious economic sabotage and duly prosecute the suspects,” she said.
Prof. Ogbonnia Chukwu, the Director General of the Ebonyi Fertiliser and Chemical Company, Abakaliki said that such act contravened the national fertilizer quality act of 2019.
According to Chukwu, the company takes its products to the University of Nigeria Nsukka for
Chukwu described fertiliser adulteration as a national malaise and urged relevant stakeholders to intensify efforts in combating such act.
“Adulterated fertilisers are sold to farmers at cheap rates and such produces low yield,” he said.
One of the suspects told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he was hired as a labourer to produce the fertiliser as he was unemployed.
