As per a witness, the cattle were being led out for their usual grazing from Mandate market to the School of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies when the incident occurred over the weekend.
A gentleman named Mr. Olugbon, one of the owners of the impacted cows, recounted receiving a call notifying him of the cows collapsing on their way back to Mandate market.
“We found out they had ingested toxic grains along their route, and approximately 30 had perished by the time we arrived at the scene.”
The magnitude of this loss is significant, and we harbor suspicions of sabotage. It’s not our first time taking this route with the cattle. We traverse it daily for grazing and compensate farm owners for any damage caused. This situation is truly distressing.
Mr. Ismail Ibrahim, another cattle rearer, stated, “The other affected cows have received treatment and are currently being monitored.”
They’ve made an appeal to the state government for assistance.
Murtala Tanbariku, the Babaloja of Mandate Market, expressed his dismay over the incident, labeling it as unfortunate. He urged the government to provide assistance to the affected traders.
Nevertheless, the Kwara Monitoring Group (KMG), through its coordinator Dan-Musa, claimed in a statement that some of the deceased animals were being slaughtered and distributed to butchers for sale.
The group urged the government to take prompt action, stating, “KMG is bringing to the notice of the Commissioners of Environment, Health, and the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA) the need for immediate intervention to prevent the poisoned and deceased cows from being sold to unsuspecting members of the public.”
We are steadfast in our commitment to assisting the state government in enhancing all aspects of state sanitation.
“It is our hope that the relevant Ministry and Agency take swift and appropriate action, as the destination of such poisoned meat in the market is unpredictable,” the statement continued.
Dr. Abdullateef Olugbon, the state director of Veterinary Services, mentioned that the ministry has initiated raids on illegal veterinary and meat establishments to safeguard public safety.
He cautioned against patronizing illicit meat vendors offering discounted products and emphasized the government’s dedication to ensuring the public’s safety, particularly regarding the consumption of safe meat.
