The Kano State Consumer Protection Council (KSCPC) has intercepted an illegal food tampering operation at Singer Market in Kano, arresting several traders caught fraudulently altering expiry dates on expired milk products.
The joint operation, carried out in collaboration with the Singer Market Traders’ Association leadership, prevented thousands of expired items from being resold to unsuspecting members of the public.
Disclosing the development on Monday, the KSCPC Director in Charge of Enforcement Operations, Alhaji Auwalu Muhammad, confirmed that the affected business premises were immediately shut down following the raid.
According to a statement signed by the council’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Jamilu Mustapha, enforcement officers were dispatched after receiving a distress call from the market’s leadership regarding illegal re-labeling activities.
“We received a distress call this morning from the Vice-Chairman of the Singer Market Traders’ Association, Aminu Umar-Dogara, about the activities going on in the market,” Muhammad explained.
“The council immediately deployed its enforcement officers to the market following the report, which led to the apprehension of suspected traders and sealing of the affected shops.”
Muhammad reiterated the agency’s firm commitment to safeguarding public health and maintaining market standards. “We are committed to protecting consumers against the sale of expired, adulterated, and substandard products, as well as unlawful alteration of product labels, expiry dates, and quality standards,” he added.
Reaffirming the enforcement action, the Executive Secretary of KSCPC, Dr. Ibrahim Garba-Muhammad, issued a stern warning to unethical traders, declaring that the council would not tolerate any practices that infringe upon consumer rights or compromise public safety.
Garba-Muhammad warned that anyone caught participating in such fraudulent operations would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
He also commended the leadership of the Singer Market Traders’ Association for alerting authorities, emphasizing that ongoing collaboration between regulatory bodies and market unions remains vital to eradicating adulterated, substandard, and hazardous goods from Kano markets.
