JISEPA destroys expired goods worth N14.4m in Jigawa

The Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) has destroyed expired consumable items worth over ₦14.4 million seized from marketplaces, stores, and shops across the state.

This was contained in a press statement issued and personally signed by the Managing Director of the Agency, Mr Adamu Sabo, and made available to Tribune Online in Dutse, the state capital. The items were discovered and confiscated during a statewide sanitary inspection visit to the 27 Local Government Areas of Jigawa State.

Mr Adamu Sabo explained that the operation is part of the Agency’s statutory mandate to promote public health and enforce environmental safety, noting that “consumable items worth ₦14,447,650.00 were seized and destroyed.”

According to him, the inspection covered only the first and second quarters of 2025 (January to June 2025), and targeted markets, stores, shops, and commercial outlets. It was aimed at enforcing sanitary standards and identifying goods unfit for human use and consumption.

He maintained that, “The operation was legally guided by Section 5(1)(2) of the Jigawa State Environmental Protection Law 2009 (as amended), and Section 125(1) of the Jigawa State Public Health Security Law 2024.”

“In the course of the inspection, items and consumables worth over ₦14,447,650.00 were seized and subsequently condemned, having been found expired, improperly stored, contaminated, or otherwise dangerous to public health,” he stated.

Sabo further explained that “the items were destroyed after all legal procedures and due processes were fully followed, including verification, documentation, and formal approval for destruction in line with public health laws.”

“This action is not punitive but preventive, meant to protect the health and safety of citizens and uphold the environmental and sanitary standards of our state,” Sabo added.

He reiterated that the Agency remains committed to working with market associations, business operators, and local leaders to ensure full compliance with environmental and public health laws.

The Managing Director then called on the general public to remain vigilant, support sanitation enforcement, and report unsanitary or illegal sales practices. “Together, we can build a safer, healthier, and more responsible Jigawa State,” he concluded.

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