The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned residents of Borno, particularly those in Maiduguri, to be cautious of consuming adulterated and expired flour currently in circulation.
The state commandant of the corps, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Sunday.
Abdullahi said that the command had so far arrested six suspects for allegedly re-bagging and selling expired flour to unsuspecting consumers in Maiduguri.
He also said that about 1,100 bags of the expired flour had been recovered from the suspects.
He explained that the suspects were arrested in Makera and Babban-Layi in Maiduguri Monday Market area in the process of re-bagging the flour into sacks of prominent companies.
“One of the suspects, Bukar Muhammad, who smuggled the flour from Lagos state, told us that about 80 trucks of such foods were to be supplied to the North-East.
Abdullahi further said that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), had on inspection of a sample of the flour, said that it was not fit for human consumption.
“NAFDAC also said that the product is unsatisfactory due to high content of E.coli, ash and low level of glutton and protein and the absence of vitamin A,’’ he said.
He cautioned residents of Borno to be vigilant and report any suspicious nefarious activities to the nearest security outfit.(NAN)