Police unseal beverage factory illegally shut by Ocha Brigade in Anambra

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

The Anambra State Police command and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, weekend has unsealed the beverage factory that was alleged to have been illegally sealed by Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, Ocha Brigade.

The Nations News Nigeriareports that the beverage factory, Aliban De Great Industries, was unsealed by the Anambra State Police after a discrete investigation.

The factory Director, Mr. Ali Barnabas, who spoke to newsmen shortly as the unsealing of the factory by the police, disclosed that his life is under threat over fighting for his right

He recalled that about 50 masked Ocha Brigade personnel with three Special Anti Cultism Squad, SPACS, stormed his factory, ransacked the entire place, damaged the CCTV camera, took away generating sets, some raw materials, cash of #325,000 kept in the drawer by the secretary, made away with 200, cartons of finished products, among others.

“They also whisked away seven of my staff to their torture camp where they were manhandled for days before I reported to the police and the police came to my rescue, released those Ocha Brigade arrested and tortured in their torture camp.

“So this morning, the police command sent a team that included the IPO who came to the factory, broke the key Ocha Brigade used to seal the factory and asked me to clean the mess caused by Ocha Brigade in the factory.

“If not for the police and NAFDAC, who knows what would have become of this factory apart from the seven factory workers released by the police who were kept in Ocha Brigade torture camp that have been hospitalized after being tortured by their assailants.

“When the police took over the matter they found out that the factory is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, (CAC), and has NAFDAC approval, and released the seven workers.

“I have many products registered with NAFDAC and CAC, on 7th October Special Anti Cultism Squad, SPACS, first stormed my factory, ransacked it and whisked away five of my workers and a vehicle, releasing them with the vehicle the same day.

“On the 10th October, over 50 masked Ocha Brigade personnel with three SPACS members again stormed my factory, broke the iron protector, removed 2000 plus cartons of finished products, bottles, damaged the CCTV camera, laptop removed, among others.

“They picked nine of the workers but when one complained that she was pregnant two of them were released and seven others detained at the Ocha Brigade torture camp and days after they were taken to State CID Awka where I met with the DCP who after listening to my defence and discrete investigation, asked me to write statement which I did and my staff were released.

The factory which Ocha Brigade sealed, the DCP sent his men to the factory to see the sealing as no business has been going on there for eight consecutive days now as it remained sealed until now that Police unsealed it

“My life is in danger now because I have been receiving threats and I call on Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Commissioner of Police, other security personnel and the general public to intervene,” he pleaded.

Recall that NAFDAC through, Martins Iluyomade, Coordinator of NAFDAC, Enugu Zonal office, condemned Ocha Brigade invasion, arrest of the factory workers and confiscation of materials, among others describing it as illegal.

According to him, “It is only NAFDAC that reserves the legal mandate to approve and regulate importation, exportation, manufacture, sales and distribution of drug, cosmetics, packaged water and chemicals,

“OCHA Brigade, a state owned enforcement agency has no right under the law to take over NAFDAC jobs, to condemn food, chemical products or arrest workers of regulated products but could draw their attention to such development,” he stated.

In a swift reaction, the Anambra State Coordinator, Ocha Brigade Presidential Task Force on Economic Sabotage, Collins Enebeli, has denied the allegations leveled against Ocha Brigade, saying none of the arrested seven factory workers were tortured.

He added that they were handed over to the police with items removed from the factory.