Babatunde Irukera, the CEO of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), disclosed in an interview with Arise TV that influential individuals in Nigeria are behind the widespread circulation of fake products across the nation.
Irukera emphasized the complexity of the issue, citing the active participation of prominent and powerful figures that often obstruct law enforcement efforts.
Addressing the surge in fake goods, Irukera stressed the need for a consequence management system that delivers timely and appropriate penalties.
He stated, “We need to figure out a consequence management system that delivers appropriate consequences very timeously. For some businesses and some people, the fact that there is a possible penalty for criminal conduct modifies their behaviour, and for some others, it doesn’t.”
READ ALSO: Peter Obi Mourns Over 100 Killed in Plateau, Solicits Prayers for Security Operatives
“I know the issue of substandard and fake products is a national priority. What we have seen in the past couple of months is an unusual and unprecedented escalation. But it’s multi-faceted.
“I remember one of the cases that I got involved with when I became the director general of the consumer protection council was a raid in respect to fake rice in Uyo. We followed that for a while, and our operatives from our south-south office in Port Harcourt had interdicted some.
“What happened was that some of our employees who are federal government employees were detained by the state government because the people who were involved were pretty powerful people and because my employees got detained that is why I said we are going to open this case a little further and we put everything together and we got those people arrested. The case till now has not ended, Irukera concluded.