A woman identified as Mrs. Kehinde Raji has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce for allegedly using dangerous colouring agents to process spoiled yam flour into contaminated Elubo Isu, a staple food consumed by many households across the state.
The arrest, which was carried out on Friday, July 25, was announced by the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
According to Wahab, the arrest was made following credible intelligence received from the chairman of the Elubo Sellers Association, who alerted the authorities to suspicious food processing activities in the market.
“This morning, we received credible intelligence from the Chairman of Elubo Sellers Association regarding dangerous food adulteration practices within the market,” Wahab stated.
“The report indicated that some unscrupulous traders were mixing harmful coloring agents with spoiled yam flour to produce contaminated Elubo Isu for unsuspecting consumers.”
He revealed that upon receiving the report, officials from the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) enforcement team conducted a swift raid at the location, where Mrs. Kehinde Raji was caught red-handed in the act.
Preliminary findings indicate that several consumers have already reported health complications allegedly linked to the consumption of the adulterated yam flour.
The Commissioner praised the vigilance of the market leadership, saying, “We commend the market leadership for bringing this critical public health issue to our attention.”
Wahab confirmed that the suspect will face prosecution in accordance with Lagos State laws governing food safety and consumer protection.
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