LAGESC APPREHENDS SUSPECTED ‘ELUBO’ VENDOR WITH ADULTERATED FLOUR POWDER, YAM PEELS IN LAGOS
Following a tip-off by the Elubo Sellers Association executives at the Maidan Area of the State, operatives of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI attached to the Mile 12 market area apprehended one Mrs. Kehinde Raji, an alleged yam flour (elubo) vendor at the Ajelogo area of the State with adulterated flour powder and yam peels on Friday.
This disclosure was made by the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), at the Command Headquarters of the Agency located at Bolade-Oshodi, emphasising the need to sell processed food which meets Food Administration standards and guidelines.
“Acting on the formal complaints made by Elubo Sellers Association excos at Maidan, we effected the arrest of a suspected yam flour vendor selling adulterated flour powder to Lagosians at the Mile 12 market and the unwholesome act of this suspect is a contributory cause to major health problems being faced by consumers of these adulterated foods at different levels’’, he stated.
Cole revealed that the suspect, upon interrogation, revealed that she is only involved in the sales of ‘Elubo Lafun’, fermented cassava flour powder, as she repeatedly stated her non-involvement in mixtures of her flour powders.
Furthermore, the suspect also highlighted how ‘Elubo Lafun’ is typically not mixed with other flours to retain its characteristic texture for consumers.
The Corps Marshal also disclosed how the suspect revealed that she started the business in 2024 following the death of her husband after being left with three kids to cater for, just as she equally highlighted that the profitability of many traders in the ‘elubo’ business spurred her interest to venture into it.
The KAI top man also mentioned that the seized yam flours will be forwarded as samples for onward investigation and testing at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), and subsequent legal action will be undertaken in line with recommendations of the Agency.