Stop Unsafe, Dangerous Soft Drinks in Nigeria

On 4 January, 2009, I bought 2 bottles of Cocacola and Fanta soft drinks for my family at the MR. BIGGS Eatery in Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria. My wife took the coca-cola while I took the Fanta. On opening the drinks both my wife and our 8 months old daughter, Maryam, took theirs right there in the Eatery before realizing that the black-coloured drink contained some solid particles. She raised the alarm. Further looking at the inner bottle of the drinks show that the particles were actually eggs of cockroaches and maggots! Photographs and video clips of the scenario were obtained.

The Eatery management advised that we should take my wife and baby to the hospital for medical attention and promised to pay the bill, which they never did up to date!

After receiving our petition by the African Activists for Human Rights International on the ugly matter, the Management of NBC Plc in Lagos only offered to give us some of bottles of drinks as appreciation, while the response of the Eatery Management was a threat to sue the organization for libel!

Though we have taken the petition to the regulatory authorities in the country, including NAFDAC., SON and CPC at the Federal level and Citizen's Rights of the Lagos State Government, our investigation did confirm that these corporate organizations have caused untold damage to the health of unsuspecting members of the public through unwholesome and unethical practices.

We are particularly worried that several other petitions are with these federal and state regulatory agencies from other members of the public asking for enforcement of their rights.

As I write, my daughter, baby Maryam has been admitted thrice in the hospital and treated on dysentery-related cases. She has not fully recovered. This has been at huge cost to me and the family.