A massive cache of industrial chemicals believed to be capable of producing explosives has been discovered and sealed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kano State.
The facility, located in Kwakwachi within Fagge Local Government Area, reportedly housed 88,560 litres of hazardous substances\u2014including highly concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids.
Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the site on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the discovery as deeply alarming.
Prof. Adeyeye was represented at the scene by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, the agency\u2019s Director of Investigation and Enforcement.
According to Iluyomade, the warehouse was holding 60,000 litres of sulphuric acid (at 90.5% concentration) and 28,560 litres of nitric acid (at 68% concentration). Also discovered were 330 empty jerricans\u2014evidence that some of the chemicals had already been distributed to unknown individuals.
\u201cWhat we have seen here is mind-boggling, I don\u2019t think I have ever seen this quantity of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acid together in one place like this before,\u201d Adeyeye said.
She explained that it was NAFDAC officials who, acting on a tip-off, traced the warehouse and found it operational. However, only a single staff member\u2014the warehouse manager\u2014was present at the time of the raid. He was immediately taken into custody.
NAFDAC said the person listed as the warehouse\u2019s owner is not recognized as a licensed chemical marketer, which raises further red flags about the nature of the business being conducted.
\u201cThe owner is not listed as a chemical marketer. We keep a database to monitor the importation, use, and disposal of such chemicals. These acids are controlled chemicals that are not to be handled by just anybody,\u201d she said.
Adeyeye stressed that importing this category of chemicals is a highly regulated process. It requires security clearance and permits, none of which were available in this case.
\u201cImporting such chemicals requires clearance from the National Security Adviser and permits, none of which the owner possessed.\u201d
\u201cPermit and clearance is important because these chemicals are used to manufacture explosives.\u201d
The volume of substances found in the warehouse, she noted, posed a grave threat to public safety.
\u201cThe volume we have here is enough to destroy the whole of Kano if mishandled,\u201d she warned.
With the prime suspect still at large, NAFDAC said it has begun interrogating the arrested warehouse manager to uncover the chain of custody and determine the final destination of the chemicals.
Prof. Adeyeye further assured the public that the seized chemicals would be destroyed in accordance with environmental and safety regulations to prevent any misuse.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A massive cache of industrial chemicals believed to be capable of producing explosives has been discovered and sealed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kano State. The facility, located in Kwakwachi within Fagge Local Government Area, reportedly housed 88,560 litres of hazardous substances\u2014including highly concentrated sulphuric and nitric […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":826,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n