News
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 Enugu Caucus in the House of Representatives has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government’s plan to concession the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, describing it as a potential catalyst for the Southeast economy.
The caucus commended the Federal Government for the initiative and urged it to hasten the process to enable the people of the Southeast and the nation to benefit from it in earnest.
It also called on the people of the region to support the concession as the only way to guarantee sustainable investment to fully develop the airport into a truly international facility.
Cardinals will meet next month in a secret conclave to elect the next pope, the Vatican has said.
The closed-door meeting will start inside the Sistine Chapel on 7 May and will involve some 135 cardinals from across the world.
It follows the death of Pope Francis who died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday and whose funeral was held on Saturday.
There is no timescale as to how long it will take to elect the next pope, but the previous two conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said cardinals will take part in a solemn mass at St Peter’s Basilica, after which those eligible to vote will gather in the Sistine Chapel for the secretive ballot.
Once they enter the Sistine Chapel, cardinals must have no communication with the outside world until a new Pope is elected.
There is only one round of voting on the first afternoon of the conclave, but the cardinals will vote up to four times every day afterwards.
A new pope requires a two-thirds majority – and that can take time.
Each cardinal casts his vote on a simple card that says, in Latin: “I elect as Supreme Pontiff” to which they add the name of their chosen candidate.
If the conclave completes its third day without reaching a decision, the cardinals may pause for a day of prayer.
Outside the Sistine Chapel the world will be watching for the smoke from the chimney.
If the smoke is black, there will be another round of voting. White smoke signals that a new pope has been chosen.
On Saturday, politicians and royalty joined thousands of mourners as Pope Francis’ funeral was held in St Peter’s Square.
Hymns played out on giant speakers, occasionally drowned out by the sound of helicopters flying overhead, before 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re gave a homily on the pope’s legacy.
After a ceremony, huge crowds lined the streets of Rome to watch as the Pope’s coffin was carried in a procession to his final resting place, Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
Authorities said 140,000 people had lined the streets, clapping and waving as the hearse – a repurposed white popemobile – crossed the Tiber river and drove past some of Rome’s most recognisable sights: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Altare della Patria national monument on Piazza Venezia.
On Sunday images of Pope Francis’s tomb at the church were released showing a single white rose lying on the stone that bears the name he was known by during his pontificate, below a crucifix illuminated by a single spotlight.
The National Judicial Council, NJC, has acknowledged receipt of a petition against Justice E.N. Oluedo of the Enugu State High Court for alleged misconduct.
In its acknowledgment letter, the NJC confirmed that it is taking action on the petition, which accuses the judge of violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, as outlined in the Fifth Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution.
In a letter dated April 17, 2025 (Reference No. NJC/S.14/HC.EN/25/III/112), the Chief Justice of Nigeria and NJC Chairman, Justice Kudirat M.O. Kekere-Ekun, informed the petitioner, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, that the matter is under review.
Okonkwo had accused Justice Oluedo of misconduct in handling Suit No. E/298C/2019 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and himself.
Okonkwo, serving as the Liquidator of Ifemelunma and Company Nigeria Enterprises Limited, alleged that Justice Oluedo continued proceedings despite being aware of a pending appeal (Appeal No. CA/E/4C/2025) between the same parties at the Court of Appeal. He argued that this violated judicial protocol and showed bias.
On February 26, 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Okonkwo before Justice Oluedo on a one-count charge of fraud. Okonkwo pleaded not guilty and was permitted to continue under the bail terms previously granted by another judge.
Following his arraignment, Okonkwo issued a press statement questioning the EFCC’s competence in charging him under Section 6(b) of the EFCC Act, 2004. The charge alleged that he fraudulently converted N41 million received from one Onyishi Maduka Samuel, intended for the family of the late Joel Ifemelunma Okoye.
Citing Section 211(1) of the Constitution and several Supreme Court decisions—including Diamond Bank Plc v. Okpara (2018) and Maduagwu v. FRN (2025)—Okonkwo challenged both the EFCC’s authority and the High Court’s jurisdiction to prosecute him. He claimed that both the EFCC and the court registrar were duly served with notices of the pending appeal and a motion for stay of proceedings.
In his April 10, 2025 petition to the NJC, Okonkwo alleged that Justice Oluedo’s insistence on proceeding with the trial aimed to foist a fait accompli on the Court of Appeal, an act he described as judicial impertinence.
The petition was titled: “Petition against His Lordship Hon. Justice E.N. Oluedo for an Act bordering on Judicial Impertinence.”
A copy of the petition, seen by this reporter, outlined Okonkwo’s assertion that Justice Oluedo continued proceedings despite knowledge of the pending appeal.
On February 26, 2025, Okonkwo urged the court to stay proceedings based on due process and respect for the hierarchy of courts.
However, Justice Oluedo, after considering submissions from both Okonkwo and the prosecuting counsel, I.E. Ajobwele, overruled the objection. She cited the Enugu State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2017, stating that an interlocutory appeal does not automatically stay criminal proceedings.
Okonkwo countered that jurisdiction in criminal matters comes from Section 272(1) of the Constitution, not from procedural laws like the ACJL 2017.
He accused the judge of violating the principle that parties must be given full opportunity to present their case, referencing Western Steel Works Ltd. v. Iron and Steel Workers Union (1986).
He further argued that Nigerian law, citing State v. Ajayi (1996), allows interlocutory appeals and stay of proceedings in criminal trials. He emphasized that fairness and impartiality, observable by the public, were lacking in the judge’s handling of his case.
Citing Akinbobola v. Plisson Fisko (1991), Okonkwo maintained that a court has the power to rescind an order made without jurisdiction. He also referenced Olaseni v. Olaseni (2010), warning that disregarding an appellate court’s authority undermines the rule of law.
Finally, quoting Roman jurist Justinian—”Ignorantia judicis est calamitas innocentis”—Okonkwo warned that judicial ignorance risks inflicting irreversible injustice on innocent parties, stressing that a judge must remain current with the law to ensure fair judgment.
-
News10 hours agoJust in: Senator Natasha tenders satirical ‘apology’ to Akpabio
-
News4 hours agoInsecurity: BUDA urges govt to quickly rescue Baruten from terrorists
-
News6 hours agoUNUSUAL! Without invitation, Police declared me wanted — Daughter of ABC Transport owner
-
News19 hours agoBenue LG chairman gives Fulanis 48hrs to leave all farmlands
-
News3 hours agoWeeks to 2nd anniversary, Niger deputy gov, plans to resign, move out personal effects
-
News24 hours agoFrancophone Ambassadors, Nigeria Unite To Fight Against Climate Change
-
News19 hours agoFive suspected kidnappers eliminated by police in Delta
-
Metro11 hours ago‘My husband always makes love throughout the night until morning’ – Woman Wants Divorce