Chinese man arrested for smuggling 880 bags of a chemical used in making explosives into Nigeria

NAFDAC has impounded 880 bags x 25kg of Urea Formaldehyde Resin, a chemical compound for manufacturing explosives. The chemical substance was wrapped as sodium sulphate while being smuggled into the country through the seaport.
The substance, loaded in 2 x 20 ft containers, scaled through checkpoints on the way to a warehouse of a company located at Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State before being intercepted by some NAFDAC operatives.
A Chinese, Zhao Chum, who owns a furniture company in Ogun State, and a clearing agent, Christian Ohia, have been arrested in connection with the chemical. The Acting DG of NAFDAC, Yetunde Oni, stated that the chemical posed a “grave” security threat to the nation if allowed in the hands of “unscrupulous individuals such as Boko Haram terrorists.”
She said that though Urea Formaldehyde resin is a chief chemical element for manufacturing fertilisers and adhesives, it is also one of the polyfunctional alcohols easily converted into explosive device by terrorists.
She said the significant security risk of the chemical had impelled the restriction on the importation of the substance to the country allowing only two companies registered by NAFDAC, stating that the arrested syndicates had not been given the right to import the chemical.
Chum, on his part, said, “This glue is from China. Everyone can buy it. I am not an importer. I gave this job to an agent. The agent did not tell me anything. You can come to my factory and see what I use the substances for. It is to hold furniture together.”

Punchng