The Enugu State Government has issued a stern warning to butchers and poultry farmers to halt the sale of animals and chickens that have died from unknown causes.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday by the Commissioners for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, and Agriculture, Mr. Patrick Ubru, the government threatened sanctions for anyone involved in the practice. The warning comes after reports from the public that diseased animals, including those that died from flu, were being sold in local markets.
To address the issue, the government has activated public health, veterinary, and disease surveillance units to investigate. The commissioners emphasized that selling and consuming such meat poses severe health risks, including the transmission of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans.
The government is conducting inspections of farms and abattoirs, with offenders set to face punishment. The public is urged to report suspicious activities, as the sale of contaminated meat could lead to serious health epidemics.
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