- Confiscates over N200m worth of handsets
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), following its routine inspection of markets across the country may have concluded plans to shut down the mobile phones market at the Lagos Computer Village in Ikeja over the proliferation of sub-standard phones in the market.
Specifically,SON on Monday issued a seven-day ultimatum to authorities of the market to rid the market of sub-standard phones or get the market shut. Meanwhile, the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), has thrown its weight behind last weekend’s raid of the market.
Besides, the highest police authority in the state has commenced investigation into the fracas, which led to damage of some properties within the market. Indeed, the (SON) at the weekend, during its invasion of the Lagos computer village at Ikeja, seized and confiscated suspected substandard mobile phones worth over N200 million.
Head of Intelligence and Compliance Directorate, Bede Obayi said that a handset dealer at Otigba Road, Computer Village market, Lagos, Trinity Technologies and Communication Ltd came to SON and registered one H-Mobile phone in his name only for SON to discover thereafter that the company had embarked on the importation of different brands of telephone handset other than the H-Mobile he registered with SON.
Besides that, Obayi said the company also imported large quantity of unbranded handsets into the country and kept its self-busy labeling them with popular brands in the market thereby deceiving the unsuspecting innocent buyers.
“The Managing Director of the company who apparently got wind of SON’s presence in his shop took to his heels and refused to come and witness the operation taking place in his shop. However, two of his staff are now helping SON and police in locating his warehouse where it was believed has a large stock piled of the fake handsets as he is a big time distributor of the product”, Obayi added.
Obayi however expressed shock at the unpatriotic attitude of the market leaders who instigated their boys to fight SON officials and the police with dangerous weapons during which some of its vehicles were destroyed.
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