The operation, led by SON's North-East Zonal Coordinator, Adamu Abba, resulted in the arrest of Ibrahim Ahmed Chinade in Chinade, Katagum Local Government of Bauchi State.
Chinade was caught in the act of repackaging four different fertiliser brands, namely Mai Rago, Freedom, Boko, and Indoorama, into Golden Fertiliser bags. His intention was to deceive unsuspecting customers into purchasing the fake product.
The fake fertilisers were discovered during a market day in the town, and SON's operation team quickly took action based on an intelligence report.
The head of the operations team, Malam Murtala Sa’ad, further revealed that they seized over 150 bags of counterfeit Golden Fertiliser from Chinade's shop and shut down the operation. The suspect was arrested without resistance from him or the community.
As per the SON Act, 2015, the suspect will face charges for violating Section 26 of the act. The ongoing investigation will determine the appropriate legal action to be taken against him.
When questioned by journalists, Chinade feigned ignorance of any existing laws related to standardization, claiming that the high demand for Golden Fertiliser pushed him to repackage other products.
He pleaded for leniency from the organisation, stating that this was his first offense and expressing remorse for his actions.
This incident highlights the importance of maintaining stringent standards in the agricultural sector to protect farmers and consumers from counterfeit and substandard products.
SON's swift action and determination to enforce regulations are crucial in safeguarding the integrity of agricultural inputs and promoting a healthy and reliable farming environment.You