The dust raised by the arrest of Chioma Egodi Jnr., a Facebook user who posted a review of Nagiko Tomato Mix produced by Erisco Foods Limited, by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on September 24 is yet to settle.

Egodi Jnr.’s review of the tomato product on September 17 was seen by the management of Erisco Foods Ltd. as a deliberate attempt to de-market their product.

“I went to buy tin tomatoes yesterday that I would use to make stew. I didn’t see Gino and Sonia, so I decided to buy this one (Nagiko). When I opened it, omo! I decided to taste it. Sugar is just too much. Haa, biko (please) let me know if you have used this tin tomato before, because this is an ike gwuru (tiring) situation,” she had posted on Facebook.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Facebook User Chioma Egodi Jnr for Review on Erisco Foods’ Tomato Paste

Rather than seeing merit in the Facebook user’s review, the company petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), calling for an urgent intervention to curb “an organised criminal syndicate that has been faking our products” and “posting false and unsubstantiated information” both online and offline.

After her arrest, the Lagos State Police Command transferred her case file to its Abuja headquarters, according to Babatunde Irukera, Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

In a subsequent post on his X account, Irukera announced that the commission had secured Egodi Jnr.’s release.

Grateful for the restoration of Ms. Egodi’s liberty,but determined to ensure we never walk this path again.

Criminality in commerce is an exception.Our society cannot endure under the threat or fear that fair expressions (when properly so) can become subject of law enforcement

— Babatunde Irukera (@TundeIrukera) September 26, 2023

The development, however, prompted FIJ to run some checks on the registration status and regulatory approvals with which the tomato producer operates in the country.

As a food company, its activities fall under the purview of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC). The regulator, among other things, classifies and certifies food products as safe for consumption. It also issues renewable approvals to food manufacturers in the country.

NAFDAC maintains a publicly accessible online database containing all approved food and drug manufacturing companies in Nigeria and regularly updates the portal with latest information about each product.

From our findings, Erisco had 58 different products approved by NAFDAC with details of each product’s classification and approval clearly provided on the website.

READ ALSO: Chioma Ude’s Envivo Communications Used 20 Students to Get N60m Loan From CBN. Now, the Students Are in Trouble

According to the details available on the NAFDAC portal as of the time of this publication, all the approvals granted to manufacture the products have expired.

Findings further showed that the Nagiko Tomato Paste Mix bought and reviewed by Egodi Jnr. was not among the 58 products available on the regulator’s portal. Repeated searches by FIJ failed to return any response.

TABLE SHOWING ALL THE 58 PRODUCTS

S/N	PRODUCT	REG NUMBER	APPROVED DATE	APPROVED DATE EXPIRATION
1	Erisco Basmati Rice Flour	08-0726	25/08/2016	2021-08-24
2	Erisco Wheat Flour	08-0725	2016-08-25	2021-08-24
3	Nagiko Basmati Rice	08-7414	2017-10-31	2022-10-30
4	Erisco Parboiled Rice	08-7415	2017-10-31	2022-10-30
5	Erisco Jollof Rice Ready to Eat Meal (With Beef)	08-8100	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
6	Erisco Spaghetti Ready to East Meal (With Beef)	08-8102	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
7	Erisco Custard Mix Milk Powder	08-3359	31/03/2017	2022-03-30
8	Erisco Chocolate Cubes	08-3638	10/05/2017	2022-05-09
9	Erisco Milk Cubes (Assorted Fruits Flavours)	08-5643	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
10	Erisco Milk Cubes With Vanilla Flavour	08-3636	11/01/2017	2022-01-10
11	Erisco 3-in-1 Banana Flavoured Milk Powder	08-3325	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
12	Erisco 3-in-1 Strawberry Flavoured Milk Powder	08-3328	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
13	Erisco Chocolate Flavoured Milk Powder	08-3356	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
14	Erisco Milk Cube	08-3637	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
15	Erisco Fat Filled Milk Powder	08-0323	31/03/2017	2022-03-30
16	Erisco Milk Cubes With Strawberry Flavours	08-5606	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
17	Erisco Milk Cubes (Pineapple and Coconut) Flavours	08-5648	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
18	Erisco 3-in-1 Apple Flavoured Milk Powder	08-3326	08/03/2017	2022-03-07
19	Erisco 3-in-1 Vanilla Flavoured Milk Powder	08-3327	08/03/2017	2022-03-07
20	Erisco Ruft Ready to Eat Therapeutic Food	08-5366	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
21	Ric-Giko Iodized Salt	08-0727	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
22	Erisco Label Tea (Black Tea With Aromatic Flavour)	08-8175	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
23	Erisco Green Tea	08-8177	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
24	Erisco Ricvita Cocoa Drink	08-0875	06/12/2017	2022-12-06
25	Erisco Custard Mix Chocolate Flavoured Powder	08-3358	11/01/2017	2022-01-10
26	Nagiko 3-in-1 Instant Garri Mix With Chocolate	08-0324L	20/11/2018	2020-11-28
27	Nagiko 2-in-1 Instant Garri With Sugar	08-4046L	20/11/2018	2020-11-28
28	Nagiko Instant Garri Mix 4-in-1	08-3480	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
29	Nagiko Instant Garri With Peanuts and Sugar	08-5027L	31/03/2017	2019-03-30
30	Nagiko Instant Garri	08-5091L	31/03/2017	2019-03-30
31	Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Strawberry Flavour	08-5865	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
32	Nagiko Instant Garri Mix With Sugar, Milk, Ginger and Honey Flavour	08-5866	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
33	Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Chocolate Flavour	08-5867	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
34	Nagiko Instant Garri Mix Cubes With Sugar, Milk and Banana Flavour	08-5869	31/10/2017	2022-10-30
35	Erisco Seasoning Cube With Curry Flavour	08-3639	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
36	Erisco Seasoning Cube With Tomato Flavour	08-3640	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
37	Erisco Seasoning Cube With Onion Flavour	08-3641	15/11/2016	2021-11-14
38	Erisco Tomato Ketchup	08-1357	08/08/2017	2022-08-07
39	Erisco Seasoning Cubes Ginger Flavour	08-8176	09/02/2018	2023-02-08
40	Ri-Giko Thyme Seasoning	08-0729	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
41	Ric-Giko Stew Seasoning Mix Powder	08-0730	2015-01-29	2020-01-28
42	Erisco So Red Tomato With Pepper Paste (Double Concentrated)	08- 0317	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
43	Erisco So Red Tomato With Pepper Paste (Double Concentrated) 70G & 200.1G & 2.02KG Tin	08- 0753	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
44	Erisco 3-in-1 Milk Tea	08-0319	28/07/2016	2021-07-27
45	Erisco 3-in-1 Coffee Mix	08-0320	28/07/2016	2021-07-27
46	Rig-Giko Double Concentrated Tomatoe Paste	08-0462	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
47	Ric-Giko Nutmeg Seasoning Powder	08-0731	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
48	Ric-Giko Classic Seasoning Powder	08-0733	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
49	Ric-Giko Chicken Fine Seasoning Powder	08-0735	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
50	Ric-Giko Beef Seasoning Powder	08-0736	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
51	Ric-Giko White Pepper Powder	08-0737	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
52	Ric-Giko Black Pepper Powder	08-0738	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
53	Ric-Giko Red Pepper Powder	08-0739	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
54	Ric-Giko Seafood Seasoning Cubes/25 X 4G (100G Sachet)	08-0872	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
55	Ric-Giko Double Concentrated Tomato Paste	B1-0462	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
56	Ric-Giko Curry Seasoning Powder	FAST TRACK- 0732	29/01/2015	2020-01-28
57	Erisco So Red Tomato Paste	08-0913	03/12/2015	2020-12-02
58	Nagiko 3-in-1 Instant Garri Mix	08-0324	03/12/2015	2020-12-02

The brand’s 58 products seen on NAFDAC’s Registered Product Database were vetted and approved at different times. Consequently, their expiration dates differ. For instance, the approvals for two of the products expired in 2019, while 19 product approvals expired in 2020. Also, approvals for 13 other products had been due for renewal since 2021. Similarly, 18 product approvals expired in 2022 and 6 approvals also expired early this year.

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) also marked the company as inactive. This suggests that the company has not done its annual filings with the CAC as mandated by law.