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Beware of cancer as sniper is used to preserve food, NAFDAC warns
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has once again issued a stern warning to the public regarding the hazardous practice of using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items. Specifically, the agency emphasised the dangers associated with dichlorvos, a chemical commonly utilised by traders to safeguard food from spoilage.
The sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), under the label, Sniper® has been banned since 2019, while the sale of the large volume (one litre) is limited to certified agrochemicals outlets. NAFDAC underscores the toxicity of dichlorvos to human health, cautioning that its use can have fatal consequences.
In response to a viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye urged traders and merchants to desist from using unauthorized chemicals on food meant for human consumption.
The agency reiterated that the misuse of dichlorvos poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short-term and long-term consequences. Long-term exposure can result in severe health implications, including developmental abnormalities in offspring, memory loss, reduced fertility, and potential carcinogenic effects. These adverse effects highlight the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure.
The Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products, Dr. Rametu Momodu said that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to protect grains and prevent beans from having weevils is not an approved practice. She explained that there are approved pesticides for use as fumigants, which should be used according to the manufacturer’s specifications on the product label. She stressed that these products should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent dangers to human health.
Momodu elaborated that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos can cause dizziness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors, and convulsions, and in some cases, can lead to coma and death. She warned that once used, pesticide residues remain on or in the food, posing significant health risks. Washing the food does not mitigate the risk, as the harmful substance would have already soaked into it. She emphasised that the Agency cannot recommend washing as a solution, as it gives a false sense of security.
Instead, she urged grain merchants, market vendors, and farmers to adhere strictly to manufacturer guidelines and refrain from directly applying dichlorvos to beans and other foodstuffs. It should be used as intended, either as a field crop treatment or a fumigant, to ensure food safety. She also advised consumers to avoid buying from vendors known to use such practices and to report them to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate sanctions.
Adeyeye emphasised alternative methods for preserving food, mentioning the use of bio-pesticides as a safer option compared to dichlorvos. She noted that food remaining unspoiled for an extended period might indicate pesticide contamination rather than freshness, unless stored in the refrigerator.
In addition to the banning of the 100 ml size bottle as stated above, the Director General disclosed that NAFDAC has implemented several initiatives such as stakeholders’ sensitization meetings on restricting the direct application of dichlorvos on grains and foodstuffs and thorough laboratory testing to ensure pesticide residues do not exceed maximum limits for both in-country consumption and for exports. Routine monitoring of stakeholders is also conducted to ensure compliance.
Adeyeye highlighted continued NAFDAC’s commitment to global best practices, including the phase-out of certain pesticides that have been banned in other countries due to proven toxicity. She acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to bans on various chemicals and emphasized the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives. Addressing misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, she clarified that comprehensive lists have been provided to the media to dispel such notions.
The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress have dismissed the prospect of any opposition coalition unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027, describing recent moves by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as futile and politically opportunistic.
Their reactions followed the high-profile visit by Atiku and El-Rufai—accompanied by former governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa), and Achike Udenwa (Imo)—to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna residence last week.
Although Atiku maintained the visit was merely a post-Sallah courtesy call, political observers and members of the ruling party believe it was part of broader opposition coalition talks aimed at weakening Tinubu’s political base.
“There is a plan for the major political parties to come together and form a strong opposition. But it is not part of our visit,” Atiku told reporters.
In recent weeks, concerns have risen within the APC over speculated coalition efforts and the potential exit of the Congress for Progressive Change bloc from the party, following defections to the Social Democratic Party.
But the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, waved off the speculations in a phone interview with The PUNCH, questioning the credibility of the so-called CPC defection narrative.
“It is not true. Which CPC bloc did you people say is leaving? Was El-Rufai or Atiku a CPC member? Is our Vice National Chairman (North-West), Garba Datti Mohammed, and even former Governor Al-Makura not in the CPC? Have you heard any of them saying he is leaving?” Bashiru queried. “I don’t know why the media keeps giving these sorts of people unnecessary attention.”
Also reacting, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, criticised the coalition talks, dismissing them as a desperate power grab by political misfits with no shared ideology.
“This coalition is an association to grab power,” Bwala said. “That’s why you will hear Peter Obi say they are only there to grab power. Tomorrow, he will say he is considering joining. As for my senior brother, El-Rufai, I like what he is doing. He is using them to play ping pong.”
Bwala added that internal resistance within the Peoples Democratic Party had already disrupted El-Rufai’s attempts to lure the opposition into the SDP.
“When El-Rufai came, he thought he would move all of them to SDP. But His Excellency (Sule Lamido) screamed, ‘Hold it there!’ He reminded them that it was the PDP that made El-Rufai minister twice and gave him political relevance. Now, he wants to drag them out? We’re not going anywhere,” Bwala recounted.
The Presidency insists that despite the rising political noise, President Tinubu remained focused on governance and would not be distracted by alliances it described as unstable and self-serving.
Credit: PUNCH
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed a suit contesting the nomination and installation of the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Alao.
In his ruling on Monday, Justice K.A. Adedokun nullified the case for lack of jurisdiction.
Four members of the Akingbola family who instituted the suit contested the selection, appointment, and approval of Oba Alao as the Olugbon.
Justice Adedokun held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, saying that the claimants had no locus standi to file the suit.
He ruled that the case was defective as it failed to include Surulere Local Government, the authority legally empowered to initiate the selection process and approve the traditional ruler’s appointment.
Oba Alao, whose installation as Olugbon was ratified by the Oyo State government and traditional institutions, is the current vice chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Chinese, Liu Beixiang, over alleged false information to an officer of the agency.
Liu was arraigned yesterday before Justice Ayokule Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The charge reads: “That you, Liu Beixiang (a.k.a Lao Liu), sometime in December 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did give information, which you knew to be false, to an officer of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the discharge of his duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16 (1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence when the charge was read to him. In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Sonoiki, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility.
But in his response, the defence counsel, F.A. Dalmeda, informed the court of an application submitted to the EFCC seeking a plea bargain.
“We filed an application for a plea bargain, and we also filed a motion for bail, which the EFCC responded to this morning.
“We need a date for us to report on the plea bargain.
Consequently, Justice Faji adjourned the matter till June 23, 2025, for a report on the plea bargain and remanded the defendant in a correctional centre.
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