The Lagos State TaskForce on Environment and Special Offences, Enforcement Unit, has arrested eight persons and confiscated dozens of cartons of contaminated turkey in Epe area of the state.
The spokesperson for Agency, Mr Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, who disclosed this on Sunday in a statement said that the turkeys were seized by the Nigerian Customs Service.
He said they had also been set ablaze at a dump site, because they were contaminated and could cause cholera outbreak.
He noted that somehow, the contaminated turkeys found their way into the hands of unscrupulous elements trying to sell them to members of the public.
“Following tip off from a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Rasheed Shabi and the Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, the officials of the Lagos State TaskForce swung into action.
“The taskforce raided the shanties close to the dumpsite where the contaminated turkeys were said to have been destroyed and arrested eight suspects with some of the turkeys. Harmful weapons were recovered,” he said.
The spokesperson, who quoted Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, the traditional ruler of Epe in his reaction to the arrest, said that, the community was happy for the swift response by the taskforce to check the contaminated products.
“I am glad this menace has been nipped in the bud before it blows out of proportion. The state is currently battling to contain the cholera outbreak in some parts of the metropolis.
“We need not compound the issues rather, it’s our responsibility to the citizenry to ensure sinister forces do not plunge the state into crisis for their own selfish gains.
“The Nigeria Custom Service should always seek the support of sister agencies like the Police, Military, DSS and LAWMA when carrying out exhibit burning exercise.
“This is to avoid official compromise and ensure they are burnt beyond recovery by miscreants in the community,” the Oba said.