Mr. Barnabas Alih, Managing Director of AliBan De Great Industries, a beverage manufacturing company based in Nkpor, has lodged a petition with the Police, accusing operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade) of illegally invading his factory on October 10.
The petition, addressed to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, was made available to journalists on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at the factory, Alih explained that the OCHA Brigade operatives stormed the premises without a warrant or court order, destroyed the factory’s CCTV cameras, and confiscated a significant quantity of products, generators, and other valuables before sealing the premises.
According to Alih, nine workers were forcefully taken from the factory during the raid. While two have been released, seven remain detained at an OCHA Brigade facility for three days without charges or prosecution.
Alih emphasized that his company is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and all its products are approved and certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). He said that his efforts to reach OCHA Brigade officials have been unsuccessful, as they refused to communicate with him and confiscated the phones of those on duty at the time of the raid.
Alih also refuted claims circulating on social media that the factory was involved in the production of counterfeit products, stating that his products are genuine and carry registered trademarks.
“The first thing they asked for was the CCTV system, which they destroyed before proceeding with their actions. They disconnected the monitors, possibly to erase any evidence of the invasion,” Alih recounted.
He added, “They broke into my office, took personal belongings, loaded cartons of drinks from the factory into five vehicles, and even asked my workers about the location of my private vehicle. My manager presented regulatory approval documents, but they tore them up and threw them away.”
Alih expressed frustration over the incident, stating that NAFDAC confirmed they were not aware of any operation against his business. He condemned the invasion as illegal, asserting that his company has been left at a standstill, incurring financial losses while his employees’ rights are being violated through unlawful detention.
He urged the Nigerian Police to intervene immediately by releasing the detained workers and investigating the actions of the OCHA Brigade, stressing that the group does not have regulatory authority over beverage manufacturers.
One of the detained workers, who gave her name as Happiness, shared her experience, saying the operatives ransacked the offices and took away valuables after consuming some of the products.
“When they arrived, they asked about the Managing Director’s whereabouts and broke into his office with a hammer. They destroyed the CCTV cameras and started taking our goods. They didn’t show us any documentation. They just told us to lie face down and then took seven of us to their office,” Happiness said.
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