the suspects and their fake products
Four school drop-outs identified as; John Ibem, Lawrence Frank, Agu Ndubuisi and Samuel Chukwuonye, have been arrested for allegedly producing adulterated engine oil, and were paraded on Friday at the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ikeja.
According to Punch Metro, the suspects were apprehended on Thursday at a factory on Marine Bridge Street, Apapa, where the lubricant was produced in large quantity as the factory owner, Emeka, took to his heels and was still at large as of the time of filing this report.
It was learnt that the suspects branded the counterfeit product in the name of a leading lubricant producer in the country in order to deceive unsuspecting members of the public as five jerrycans containing the counterfeit product and a bucket of gum used in the factory were said to have been recovered by the security operatives.
A 19-year-old Ndubuisi, one of the suspects who hails from Ebonyi State, said five drums of the counterfeit oil with 250 litres each were produced daily at the factory, adding that he was paid N8,000 per week, and that he wanted to use his wages to fund his higher education.
“I am one of the manufacturers at the factory. We produce about five drums per day. The oil is packaged inside four-litre jerrycans. But I don’t know the price for each. It is our boss, Emeka, that markets the product. He does not disclose the price to us. He gives me N8,000 per week. I just finished my secondary school and I intend to continue my education,” he said.
Anothet suspect, a 23-year-old Chukwuonye from Anambra State, said he did not know the factory produced adulterated engine oil until he was arrested. “I was arrested the first day I worked with them,” he added.
Ibem, an indigene of Abia State, who regretted working at the factory, said his role was to package the oil into jerrycans in readiness for sale. “I joined the factory in February 2015. I collected N8,000 per week. My work is to package the oil for sale but it is our boss that takes it to the market.”
23-year-old Frank, said, “My duty is to load the product inside buses for it to be taken to the market. But I don’t know where it is sold. I know it is adulterated. It was joblessness that made me join the factory. I just finished from secondary school last year.”
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