NIGERIA – The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is issuing an alert about a poison outbreak at the cattle market near the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies in Adewole, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The incident is being reported by the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Towards the end of April, 2024, the ministry is noting that a mortality event in a herd is occurring at the market.
The investigation is revealing that the animals are grazing on forage that has been fumigated with an organophosphate chemical prior to the incident.
The clinical signs observed include hypersalivation, weakness, and recumbency.
The herders, noticing these signs, decide to slaughter seven of the weakest animals for public consumption.
This action is posing significant public health risks, with severe consequences possible in the food chain, according to the ministry’s statement from Abuja.
The ministry is stating that each state has a Rapid Response Team (RRT) composed of a federal epidemiology officer, state director of veterinary services, and state epidemiology officer.
These teams are trained for emergencies like this by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The ministry is reporting that 40 suspected poisoned animals are being treated with organophosphate antidotes, resulting in marked improvement and recovery.
Additional actions taken include cleaning and disinfecting the abattoir where the carcasses are dressed, raising public awareness about the dangers of consuming meat from affected animals, and collecting blood and tissue samples for laboratory testing and analysis.
To prevent future occurrences of such hazardous agricultural practices, the ministry is advising the public that consuming unwholesome meat, especially contaminated with organophosphates, is dangerous.
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