Following the recent arrest of a drug suspect with 14.4 kg of cocaine at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has said that the suspect is not a practitioner.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Director-General of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, issued on Saturday in Lagos.
Fadolapo said the media was awash with the story that a member of the advertising profession was arrested at the airport for attempting to export 14.4 kg of cocaine concealed in lace and Ankara fabrics to Saudi Arabia.
“We wish to state that the said Aribiyi Ahmed Olaseinde is not an advertising practitioner as claimed, and that no such name is on our record of registered advertising practitioners in Nigeria.
”Members of the public and stakeholders in the advertising and marketing communications industry are hereby advised to disregard the said claim by the said drug suspect.
“No member of the advertising profession goes by that name in our register of professionals,” he said.
According to him, advertising is a noble profession and a status conferred on it by the law.
“Only persons who are duly qualified and registered according to the provisions of the law are entitled to practice advertising and to be recognised as advertising practitioners in Nigeria.
“We wish to categorically state that ARCON remained committed to ensuring that the advertising ecosystem is sanitised.
“And shall not shy away from pursuing all lawful means, including causing the prosecution of the violators of the Act and the code of advertising practice in Nigeria when a violation occurs, in line with ARCON Act 23 of 2022,” Fadolapo said.
