The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) on Thursday warned Nigerians against consuming slaughtered animals at unregistered government/private spots such as abattoirs, slaughter slabs, and meat shops, amongst others.
The warning issued by the Permanent Secretary FMAFS, Peter Fashedemi followed a mortality herd incident at Mandate Cattle Market in Kwara State on Saturday, April 20, where the herders slaughtered seven affected animals for public consumption.
Fashedemi said the ministry upon investigation received a report from the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
He stated that the animals had grazed on the forage that was fumigated with organophosphate chemical before the incident, adding that on noticing this, the herders decided to slaughter seven of the very weakly affected animals for public consumption.
According to the investigation, the clinical signs observed were hypersalivation, weakness, and recumbency, the perm secretary said in a statement made available to NewsNGR.
Fashedemi said, “This has public health risks, and the consequences may be very severe in the food chain.
“In this particular instance, the Rapid Response Team (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 animal; these were subsequently disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
“Also 40 suspected poisoned animals were treated with organophosphate antidotes, and they responded with marked improvement in their health, leading to recovery.”
To avert future occurrences of hazardous agricultural practices, the ministry rolled out the healthy best practices the general public should adhere to before consuming slaughtered animals.
Fashedemi said, “Meat for human consumption should be purchased at registered, government/private approved spots such as abattoirs, slaughter slabs, meat shops, etc. Such products must have been certified wholesome, and fit for consumption by a registered veterinarian
“Meat from dead animals is unwholesome and should not be consumed, there is danger in consuming unwholesome meat and other food of animal origin, especially contaminated with organophosphate.
“With a withdrawal period of 14 -21 days after injection, ingestion or application of drugs or chemicals preparation 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 or suspected diseased animals to the nearest veterinary clinic or animal health services providers.
“People who may have a genuine reason to apply chemicals on open farmlands or fields should please notify their host communities to avoid grazing animals on such fields for at least one week.”