Customer drags NBC to court, seeks for N25m compensation

Saka Bolaji, Minna

An aggrieved customer of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has dragged the company before a Federal High Court sitting in Minna, requesting that the company be shut down over the sale of contaminated Coca- Cola drinks to unsuspecting consumers.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Oyelekan Akingbade, who made this known, however, asked the court to order the defendants to compensate his client, Adewuyi Adewunmi with N25million as this will serve as deterrent to other erring companies who take Nigerians for granted.

In the case, FHC/MN/CS/15/19 which was first mentioned on Thursday, Adewunmi claimed that the bottles of Sprite he bought in March were unhealthy for human consumption.

According to the writ of summons made available by counsel to the plaintiff, Akingbade said “we are asking the court to compel the first defendant (NBC) to shut down production across the country pending recertification by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) which is the second defendant.

“We pray the court to compel the third defendant, the Nigeria Consumer Protection Council (NCPC) to carry out an awareness of contaminated products produced by the first defendant across the country and an immediate confiscation of all such products.

“We seek an order of the court compelling the first defendant to pay N20 million to the plaintiff for psychological trauma and general charges and of course, the sum of N5million as cost of litigation against the first defendant.”

The plaintiff further accused the NBC of intentionally producing poisonous substance which are injurious to the health of Nigerians and has resulted in many consumers being hospitalized.

However, counsel to the NBC, Amuwa Olatunde maintained that “we produce our bottles according to international standards. We will fight this case with all the legal arsenal at our disposal.

“We are armed to the teeth; we won’t handle this case with levity because the corporate image of the NBC is at stake.”

The court presided over by Justice Aliyu Aminu Aliyu fixed May 13 for further mentioning of the case.