Jide Ajia
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has raised the alarm over the sale of poisoned meat at the Mandate Cattle Market in Ilorin, Kwara State.
In a report by the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the incident resulted in the death of several cattle at the market on Saturday, 20th April 2024.
“There is a danger in consuming unwholesome meat and other food of animal origin, especially if contaminated with organophosphate,” the ministry stated.
It warned that meat for consumption should be purchased at registered, government/private approved abattoirs, slaughter slabs, and meat shops, adding that such must be certified wholesome and fit for consumption by a registered veterinarian.
Meanwhile, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on Thursday, the ministry disclosed that the investigation revealed that the animals, especially cattle, had grazed on forage fumigated with an organophosphate chemical before the incident.
It was further noted that the clinical signs observed were hypersalivation, weakness, and recumbency.
“On noticing this, the herders decided to slaughter seven of the very weakly affected animals for public consumption,” the ministry revealed.
It highlighted the severe public health risks posed by this incident, adding, “The consequences may be very severe in the food chain.”
“It is important to note, however, that there is a Rapid Response Team (RRT) in every state of the Federation, composed of a Federal Epidemiology Officer, State Director of Veterinary Services, and State Epidemiology Officer, all of whom have been adequately trained by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for emergencies such as this.
“In this particular instance, the RRT in Kwara State, in collaboration with the State Government’s task force, swiftly swung into action to trace and confiscate the meat from the slaughtered animals; these were subsequently disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.”
The ministry added that 40 suspected poisoned cattle and other animals were treated with organophosphate antidotes, leading to marked improvements in their health and subsequent recovery.
The ministry also assured the general public that it will continue to work synergistically with state veterinary services to ensure best veterinary and agricultural practices are observed.
Other actions taken as revealed by the ministry included cleaning and disinfection of the abattoir where the carcasses were dressed; issuing public awareness on the dangers of consuming meat from affected slaughtered animals; collecting blood and tissue samples for laboratory testing and analysis.
Also, to prevent future occurrences of hazardous agricultural practices, the ministry issued the following warnings to the general public, “Meat from dead animals is unwholesome and should not be consumed.
A withdrawal period of 14-21 days after injection, ingestion, and/or application of drugs or chemical preparations on animals should be strictly observed before products from such animals are certified for consumption.
“Dead animals should be properly disposed of with the aid of veterinarians and environmental health officers.
“Report diseased animals or those suspected to be diseased to the nearest veterinary clinics/hospitals or animal health service providers.
“People who may have a genuine reason to apply chemicals on open farmlands or fields should notify their host communities to avoid grazing animals on such fields for at least one week.
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