The Niger state government has raised the alarm over the sale of beefand chickens contaminated with fattening-induced drugs, dangerous to human consumption in markets around the state.
The state Commissioner of Livestock and Fisheries, Zakari Bawa and his colleague from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nuhu Tukur, gave the warning yesterday at a press briefing in Minna.
They warned that traders involved in the sale of the meat will be prosecuted and liable to N500, 000. 00 fine if caught.
Bawa said the drugs were being injected into the animals to fatten them so that the traders could make profits at the expense of public health, adding that some traders inject meets with drugs to make the
meet rise before selling to unsuspecting customers.
He explained that the state government has decided to set up inter-ministerial committee comprising of ministries of Health, Livestock, Agriculture and NAFDAC to checkmate the malpractice.
The agriculture commissioner, Nuhu, said government was also concerned over the activities of some traders who embarked on cheating of costumers by using sacks which quantity had reduced while still
selling at the same price of the original sack.
He said officials of the ministry had identified markets where some of the dubious traders have been operating, adding that government was ready to arrest those involved.
