The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Agriculture Development Project (ADP) and several seeds dealers have been raided by Seeds Inspectors from the National Agriculture Seed Council (NASC) for fake and uncertified seeds.
The teams led by the Director, Seed Inspectorate, Mr. Agboola Adebayo, on Tuesday went to the FCT ADP on a sting operation and confisticated fake and uncertified seeds from the various shops while warning that if the appropriate steps are not taken by the seeds sellers that thy would be arrested and prosecuted in the next operation.
“Seeds are confiscated but the seller’s not arrested because the law said there should be first and second chance. The confiscation of the seeds is to get rid of the fake seeds from the market, so that the seeds will mot get to the hands of poor and innocent farmers in Nigeria.
“We are also sending signals to the seller’s that they need to do the needful, that is why you see me directing the seller’s to report to NASC office for further sensitisation, so it is hoped that after this exercise they would have put in a lot of measures to avert a reoccurent of the raid.
“However, if that is not done, arrest can now follow and they will be charged to court and be fined appropriately.
“The seeds we have seized now will be taken to the headquarters and they will be burnt during our annual farmers day and seeds fair,” he said
Earlier, the Director General, Dr. Philip Ojo, said the raid is an on going process, and that the Council is determined to raid the nation of fake and uncertified seeds.
