Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, on Monday, September 21, uncovered an illegal juice manufacturing facility at Aradagun, Badagry, Lagos state, where Barkas Juice was being produced and distributed without authorisation, and arrested two women linked to the facility.
The operation followed actionable intelligence on illicit manufacturing activities along the Badagry border corridor.
Two women linked to the facility were arrested during the raid, while packaged products prepared for distribution were intercepted.
Some of the products had been loaded into container vehicles for delivery to markets across Lagos and neighbouring states.
The NSCDC also recovered industrial sugar, untreated water, synthetic adhesives, dyes, chemical colourants and production machinery from the facility.
The operatives further rescued juveniles aged between 15 and 16 who were engaged in unauthorised labour at the facility.
The operation was led by the Divisional Officer of the Badagry Division, Chief Superintendent of Corps (CSC) Ekunola Gbenga Abraham.
The Command Public Relations Officer (PRO) SC Oluwaseun Abolurin, said the names of the two suspects were being withheld while investigations continued.
Abolurin said the facility supplied the unapproved juice products to markets across Lagos, adding that some packaged products were found loaded into container vehicles for distribution.
He also said juveniles aged between 15 and 16 were involved in activities at the facility.
Items recovered from the premises included sugar, water, adhesives, dyes and colourants, which the Corps said were used in the production process.
During interrogation, one of the suspects claimed that the factory was established by her grandmother and had operated for nearly 20 years before shutting down due to challenges.
She said the business was working towards renewing its registration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and only produced juice about three or four times a year based on customer orders.
According to a statement signed by Abolurin on behalf of the Lagos State Commandant, Commandant Adedotun Keshinro, Ekunola, who assumed leadership of the Badagry Division in February 2025, had led several operations targeting criminal activities, smuggling, human trafficking, transnational crime and other forms of economic sabotage in the area.
The Command said his previous operations included the seizure of more than 6,000 litres of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the dismantling of illegal bunkering activities along the Badagry waterways.
It added that between May and June 2026, the division rescued more than 24 victims of human trafficking, including pregnant women and toddlers, during raids on illegal camps in Itoga and Ilado-Ogudu.
The division also arrested more than 30 foreigners linked to cross-border criminal activities in June 2026, including two wanted former military personnel from neighbouring West African countries.
In July, the Command said the division dismantled an unaccredited tertiary institution operating secretly in Badagry and rescued 106 youths lured from different parts of Nigeria and West Africa.
Reacting to the latest operation, Keshinro said the Command would continue to protect residents from activities that threaten public health, safety and economic integrity.
He commended Ekunola and officers of the Badagry Division for their commitment to duty, stressing that the Corps would maintain zero tolerance for economic sabotage, human exploitation and illicit manufacturing.
The NSCDC said it had engaged relevant regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC, for laboratory testing, facility assessment and further regulatory action.
The Corps added that the suspects were undergoing interrogation and would be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction after investigations are concluded.
The Command also appealed to residents to continue providing timely information to security agencies to support efforts to safeguard communities.
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