Fidelia Okafor.

Fake goods valued at over N500 million have been destroyed by the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) in a bid to free the Nigerian market from sub-par products.

At a dump site in Lagos, the Director-General of the organization, Osita Aboloma, said the destroyed goods did not meet up to the appropriate production standards and that it was also used as a deterrent to importers of fake goods.

He warned all importers to ensure that their goods had the SON quality seal and that the organization will be relentless in intercepting the cargoes of fake goods imported into the country.

He said that most impounded goods got into the country through unapproved routes along the border in different parts of the country.

The DG said the destruction was carried out in accordance with the SON’s procedure commencing with market survey, surveillance, inventory, seizure, sampling, laboratory tests and analyses.

He also said the goods were destroyed so as to prevent Nigerians from buying harmful substandard products which could cost them their lives.