The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), on Friday, destroyed 230 bags of expired sugar and other substandard consumables worth about N25 million in Kaduna.

The destroyed items included soft drinks, milk, tomato pastes, and insecticides, among others.

Speaking to journalists at a designated destruction site outside the state’s metropolis, the deputy director of the North-West Region of SON, Adamu Ahmed, said the confiscated products failed to meet the organisation’s quality and safety standards.

“Their destruction is to ensure consumers do not unknowingly use items that could endanger their health,” Mr Ahmed stated.

He added that all 230 bags of sugar had expired and failed laboratory conformity tests, making them unsafe for public consumption.

Mr Ahmed said the exercise was part of SON’s vision to safeguard the lives of Nigerians through standardisation and quality assurance, which remain central to the organisation’s mandate.

According to him, the agency’s enforcement efforts are aimed at building consumer confidence and ensuring that only quality products reach the Nigerian market.

Mr Ahmed commended manufacturers and importers who comply with national standards while urging others to follow suit to support a safer marketplace.

He appreciated the collaboration of the State Security Services (SSS), the Nigerian Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), and the Kaduna State Government.

“This destruction serves as a warning to those dealing in substandard goods. We will not relent in ensuring full compliance with quality specifications,” Mr Ahmed stressed.

The state coordinator of NESREA, Hena Dangari, who witnessed the exercise, commended SON for its consistent efforts to protect consumers from unsafe products.

He said the exercise was a demonstration of effective interagency collaboration to safeguard public health and the environment from harmful substances.

“We are glad to witness this disposal of seized substandard items to prevent them from reaching the population. It shows SON’s dedication to consumer protection,” Mr Dangari said.

He advised the public to promptly report suspicious or substandard products to relevant agencies, noting that collective vigilance would help prevent environmental pollution and health risks.

Mr Dangari also cautioned against the continuous use of single-use plastics, which he described as major contributors to environmental degradation, flooding, and erosion.

He said NESREA was working closely with other regulatory agencies to enforce the ban on single-use plastics in public and private offices nationwide.

Also, the general manager of KEPA, Yahya Victor, commended SON for involving state agencies in its operations.

(NAN)