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Again, NAFDAC Cautions Against Using Sniper For Food Preservation
The dangers of using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items have been highlighted by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
This was contained in a statement on Sunday by Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola.
The Agency expressed concerns about a recent viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish.
It stated, “The sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), sold as 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.”
On her part, the Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, urged traders and merchants to desist from using unauthorized chemicals on food meant for human consumption.
“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,” she pointed out.
In the same vein, the Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), Dr Rametu Momodu, reiterated that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to protect grains and prevent beans from having weevils is not approved.
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.
These products, she harped, should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent dangers to human health.
Dr Momodu further 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 said.
Dr Momodu 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.
Prof Adeyeye further emphasized alternative methods for preserving food, mentioning the use of bio-pesticides as a safer option than 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, the NAFDAC DG said the agency had 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.
She said, “Routine monitoring of stakeholders is also conducted to ensure compliance.”
Prof Adeyeye reassured of 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 also acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to bans on various chemicals and emphasized the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives.
On misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, she clarified that comprehensive lists have been provided to the media to dispel such notions.
Peter Obi has condemned the reported killing of some Nigerians abducted in Borgu, Niger State, saying the country must never normalise the killing of its citizens.
Obi made this known in a statement released via X on Wednesday, where he described the reports emerging from Borgu as increasingly difficult to comprehend and deeply painful.
He recalled that on August 27, he had expressed his anguish over the reported abduction of about 600 Nigerians, including women, children and elderly people, alongside the killing of others.
ALSO SEE: ‘You Should Not Have to Leave Nigeria to Succeed’ – Peter Obi Tells Nigerian Youth
According to him, his anguish has deepened following continuing reports of the gruesome killing of some of those abducted, while many others remain unaccounted for.
Obi also referred to another disturbing incident in which a bandit group reportedly beheaded a Nigerian and sent his severed head to a community leader over a ₦50 million levy.
“If the reported killing was intended to increase pressure on the community and extract more money for those still being held, then we must recognise the terrible reality before us: human life is being deliberately turned into a bargaining instrument,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said one person being killed to terrorise an entire community while others are kept alive as hostages for more ransom amounts to the systematic devaluation of human life.
“These are not statistics. They are Nigerians. They are mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters and elderly people,” Obi said.
He questioned how long the country would continue to accept the kidnapping of hundreds of citizens, killings, criminal levies, displacement and ransom payments as unavoidable features of Nigerian life.
Obi said insecurity also affects families, farms, businesses, education and public confidence in government.
He called for intelligence-led operations, stronger community security, rapid response, better coordination and equipment for security forces, effective border protection and sustained action against criminal networks.
“The primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens,” he said.
“While politicians prepare for elections, Nigerians are asking for something more fundamental: the right to live.”
Obi urged the government to match prayers with action, insisting that no criminal group should determine who lives or dies anywhere in Nigeria.
“Every Nigerian life matters. Every victim deserves justice. Every community deserves protection. Nigeria must restore security, justice, and the dignity of human life,” he added
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for Nigeria to become more affordable, saying families across the country are being stretched by the rising cost of basic necessities.
Atiku made the call on Wednesday after receiving former First Lady Aisha Buhari, whose visit he described as warm and deeply appreciated.
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According to Atiku, the visit was also a reminder of the urgent responsibility before those seeking a better Nigeria: to put the welfare, dignity and future of Nigerians first.
“Across our country, families are being stretched by the rising cost of food, transport, education, healthcare and other basic necessities,” Atiku said.
He said Nigerians deserve an economy that rewards hard work, restores opportunity and allows every family to live with dignity and hope.
“That is the Nigeria we must build together, a country that works for its people again,” he said.
Atiku added “We must ease the burden, restore hope and Make Nigeria Affordable Again.”
Former Anambra State Governor and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said Nigerian youths should not have to leave the country before their talents are recognised or their dreams become achievable.
Obi stated this in a statement released on Wednesday as he concluded a four-day working visit to the United States.
According to him, the visit provided an opportunity to engage with prominent personalities and discuss issues concerning Nigeria, the United States and the future of Nigeria’s youthful population.
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Obi said one of the most fulfilling parts of the visit was meeting young Nigerian professionals in the US, including doctors, lawyers, engineers, technology professionals, entrepreneurs, educators and business leaders.
He said many of them were excelling in their respective fields while remaining committed to the development of Nigeria.
“My message to them was simple: you are not outsiders to Nigeria’s future; you are an important part of it,” Obi said.
He described the knowledge, experience and innovation of Nigerians in the diaspora as “enormous national assets,” stressing the need to build a country that welcomes their contributions and provides every Nigerian with a meaningful opportunity to participate in national development.
Obi said his vision of a “New Nigeria” was one where “the son or daughter of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” adding that a person’s background should not determine their destination.
He also called for Nigeria to move from consumption to production, while investing in education, healthcare and human capital, supporting businesses, creating productive jobs and building an economy that gives young Nigerians reasons to believe in their future at home.
“Our young people should not have to leave Nigeria before their talents are recognised or their dreams become possible,” he said.
Obi also disclosed that he engaged with diaspora media, including NoireTV Network and Adeola Talks, during the visit, where he shared his views on building a more productive, secure and prosperous Nigeria.
Describing the visit as fulfilling, Obi said the work of building the country must continue.
“Our challenges are great, but our potential is greater. We have the people, the talent, and the resources to build a country where opportunity is not determined by who you know or where you come from, but by what you can contribute,” he said.
“That is the Nigeria we must build together — a Nigeria that works for everyone.
“A New Nigeria is POssible.”
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