The Federal Government has alerted the public to the outbreak of poison in animals at Mandate Cattle Market in Kwara.

Mr Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this in a statement today in Abuja.

Fashedemi said the poisonous outbreak was uncovered at Mandate Cattle Market, near the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies Adewole, Ilorin, Kwara.

He explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the animals grazed on the forage fumigated with organophosphate chemicals prior to the incident.

“The Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development explained that the incident resulted in cattle mortality in herds at this market on April 20.

“The report further stated that clinical signs observed were hypersalivation and weakness.

“On noticing this, the herders decided to slaughter seven of the very weakly affected animals for public consumption.’’

He said the development had obvious public health risks and the consequences might be very severe in the food chain.

Fashedemi said that the Rapid Response Team (RRT) in every state of the Federation, made up of Federal Epidemiology Officer, State Director, Veterinary Services and State Epidemiology Officer, had been put on alert.

“In this particular instance, the RRT in Kwara State in collaboration with the State Government’s Task Force have swiftly swung into action to trace and confiscate the meat from the slaughtered animal.

“And the meats were subsequently disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.’’

Fashedemi further added that 40 suspected poisoned animals were treated with organophosphate antidotes, and they recorded an improvement in their health, leading to recovery.