‘Hazardous!’ Lagos govt questions Friesland Campina over contaminated milk

Leadership of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has met with stakeholders over the reported sale of hazardous and contaminated milk products that surfaced online recently and the subsequent closure of a warehouse in Isheri area of the State.

Speaking at the meeting held at the head office of LASCOPA in Ikeja, the General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, said the forum was organised as part of efforts to further investigate and unravel the source of the contaminated milk product, ensure that the product batch is subjected to more tests and possibly recall the contaminated milk from markets and distributors.

His words: “As a responsive and responsible government, the safety and wellbeing of our people are paramount and must not be compromised for any reason. It is LASCOPA’s duty to protect our people and shield them from any form of hazardous products that may likely have a negative health impact, regardless of whose ox is gored; this is our mandate and we would carry it out to the letter.

“As a state with myriad business opportunities, we encourage entrepreneurship development and promote business activities but not at the detriment of unsuspecting consumers and Lagosians in general.”

The general manager advised the representatives of Friesland Campina Nigeria Plc to embark on an independent forensic investigation about the product to ascertain whether the batch number of the said milk originated from them or emanated from another source.

While noting that the agency awaits the result of the laboratory test and investigations of Friesland Campina Plc, he averred that LASCOPA, on its part, will also carry out a forensic test on the products in a reputable and accredited laboratory in Lagos.

In his remarks, the Quality Assurance Representative of Friesland Campina Nigeria Plc, Yomi Eleyoro, expressed the readiness of his organisation to support the move initiated by LASCOPA to get the milk product batch number in order to carry out a laboratory test.

The meeting was also attended by some other representatives of Friesland Campina Plc, Glad Global Concepts, the Nigeria Police Force, and the complainants – Mr. Oguntole Isiaka and Mr. Gbenga Rabiu.