Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, have busted an illegal juice manufacturing facility in Aradagun, Badagry, where Barkas Juice was allegedly produced and distributed without regulatory approval.
The operation, carried out on Monday, September 21, 2026, followed actionable intelligence on illicit manufacturing activities along the Badagry border corridor.
Two female suspects linked to the facility were arrested during the raid, while several packaged products allegedly meant for distribution were intercepted. The NSCDC said some of the consignments had already been loaded into container vehicles for delivery to markets in Lagos and neighbouring states.
Items recovered from the facility included industrial sugar, untreated water, synthetic adhesives, dyes, chemical colourants and production machinery.
The operatives also rescued minors aged between 15 and 16 who were allegedly 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.
In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SC Oluwaseun Abolurin, on behalf of the Lagos State Commandant, Commandant Adedotun Keshinro, the NSCDC said Ekunola, who assumed leadership of the Badagry Division in February 2025, had spearheaded several operations against smuggling, human trafficking, transnational crime and other forms of economic sabotage in the area.
The Command said previous operations under Ekunola resulted in the seizure of more than 6,000 litres of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit and the dismantling of illegal bunkering activities along 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.
According to the Command, the division also arrested more than 30 foreign nationals allegedly linked to cross-border criminal activities in June, including two wanted former military personnel from neighbouring West African countries.
In July, the NSCDC said the division dismantled an unaccredited tertiary institution allegedly operating secretly in Badagry and rescued 106 youths reportedly lured from different parts of Nigeria and West Africa.
Reacting to the latest operation, Keshinro commended the officers of the Badagry Division for their commitment to duty, assuring residents that the Corps would continue to protect communities from activities capable of threatening public health, safety and economic integrity.
He reiterated the NSCDC’s zero tolerance for economic sabotage, human exploitation and illicit manufacturing.
The Command said it had contacted relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), for laboratory testing, assessment of the facility and further regulatory action.
The suspects, according to the NSCDC, are undergoing interrogation and will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction upon completion of investigations.
The Command urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to assist efforts to protect communities.
