A confrontation between police officers and a zobo seller in Delta State has triggered reactions on social media, after a man challenged the officers for questioning the woman over the NAFDAC registration number of her bottled drinks.
Key Highlights
- Viral video shows police in Delta questioning a zobo seller over her drinks’ NAFDAC number.
- A man at the scene challenges the officers over whether such checks are their duty.
- Social media users are divided over police conduct, food safety and the plight of small traders.
The incident, captured in a video circulating online, showed the police officers questioning the woman about the labelling of the zobo drinks she was selling and reportedly demanding proof of their registration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
During the exchange, one of the officers defended his action, insisting that he has the right to ask questions about the product.
“This thing is supposed to have NAFDAC number. Does this thing have NAFDAC number? As a police officer, don’t I have the right to ask?” the officer said.
However, a man at the scene challenged the officers, questioning whether checking the product’s NAFDAC registration details was part of their responsibilities.
His intervention led to a heated exchange that has since generated debate over police duties, food safety and the treatment of small business owners.
Nigerians React
Reacting to the video, Zoe Adeola argued that the responsibility for checking product registration rests with NAFDAC rather than the police.
“It is not the responsibility of the police to check the NAFDAC registration number of every product. That is the responsibility of NAFDAC. It appears that these police officers are only looking for an opportunity to take advantage of the zobo seller,” she wrote.
Another user, BITSTAR, defended the need for regulatory checks, stressing that consumers’ health should be a priority when it comes to drinks and other products sold for public consumption.
Similarly, @ibk_philosophy1 criticised what the user described as a lack of commitment to building a functional system, insisting that products intended for consumption should meet regulatory standards.
“I said it yesterday, a working system will be very hard to achieve because when I read people’s comments, I just feel like we’re not ready. Anything we consume should have a NAFDAC number, period. I don’t trust those police officers either,” the user said.
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Cost Of Compliance For Small Traders
However, the comment attracted a response from @techguyikik, who questioned how easily small-scale business owners could afford to meet registration requirements.
Replying to the post, the user said: “Now, I understand your point but then again how easy is it for a small business owner who’s daily earnings is not even up to 5,000 naira to easily get NAFDAC.”
The disagreement has highlighted the competing concerns surrounding food safety enforcement in Nigeria, particularly the need to protect consumers while considering the financial limitations of small-scale traders.
NAFDAC is responsible for regulating food and drink products in the country.
However, the circumstances surrounding the officers’ intervention and the extent of their authority in the incident have not been independently established.
The video has continued to fuel discussions about police conduct, regulatory enforcement and the challenges faced by informal businesses trying to operate within Nigeria’s regulatory framework.
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