The Lagos State Special Crimes and Environmental Sanitation Unit Task Force on Sunday averted a possible outbreak of epidemic in Epe after confiscating dozens of boxes of contaminated turkey.
Eight suspects were arrested in the operation.
According to the Task Force's Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, the contaminated turkey had previously been seized and incinerated by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) before being recovered by the suspects.
The raid, led by the Chairman of the Task Force, Adetayo Akerele, was carried out following a joint tip-off by Rasheed Shabi, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, the Oloja of Epe.
The contaminated items were recovered from shacks near a landfill where contraband was sold.
According to Mr Akerele, a Chief Superintendent of Police, “The boxes of turkey were originally seized by the Nigeria Customs Service and were meant to be destroyed but somehow found their way into the hands of unscrupulous elements who were trying to sell them to the public.
“They must have failed at some point to meet the required health and safety standards before being deemed unfit for human consumption, leading to them being burned in a dedicated landfill,” he added.
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Mr. Akerele said we cannot allow some ignorant individuals to reintroduce into the market products that have been condemned by a federal agency.
“Contaminated food like this can cause cancer, lung and liver diseases. Consuming such food is very dangerous and we are here to ensure that Lagosians are protected at all costs,” he said.
The president revealed that the contaminated products were recovered and taken to the agency's headquarters, while those arrested will be charged accordingly.
He congratulated Mr Shabi and Oba Animashaun for the useful warning, which helped avert disaster.
She urged the public to continue reporting suspicious activity through her “if you see something, say something” campaign.
Speaking on the incident, Oba Animashaun commended the Lagos State Task Force for its prompt response to the incident, which if left unchecked could result in a nationwide epidemic.
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“I am glad that this problem has been nipped in the bud before it gets out of control. The state is currently struggling to contain the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the metropolis, so there is no need for us to aggravate the problems. It is our responsibility to the citizenry to ensure that sinister forces do not plunge the state into crisis for their own selfish gains,” he said.
Oloja also admonished the Nigeria Customs Service to seek support from sister agencies like the Police, Army, DSS and LAWMA in conducting exhibit burning exercises to avoid official engagements and ensure that confiscated goods are burnt completely without any chance of recovery by miscreants in the community.