The federal government has warned Nigerians against the consumption of meat from dead animals.

In April, the Kwara state government temporarily shut down the abattoir at Mandate market in Ilorin following reports of the sale of meat from cows reportedly killed due to poisoning.

The state government deployed a team of officials to the market for an investigation and seizure of the contaminated beef.

In a statement on Thursday, Temitope Fashedemi, the permanent secretary at the federal ministry of agriculture and food security, said a preliminary investigation revealed that the animals grazed on the forage fumigated with organophosphate chemicals before the incident.

He said all the confiscated meat from the slaughtered animals was disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

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

The permanent secretary said public awareness of the danger of consuming the meat from affected slaughtered animals was also carried out immediately.

“There is danger in consuming unwholesome meat and other foods of animal origin contaminated with organophosphate,” the statement reads.

“Meat for human consumption should be purchased at registered, government- or private-approved spots such as abattoirs, slaughter slabs, and meat shops, among others.

“Such products must have been certified wholesome and fit for consumption by a registered veterinarian. Meat from dead animals is unwholesome and should not be consumed.

“With a withdrawal period of 14 to 21 days after injection, ingestion and/or application of drugs or chemicals to animals should be strictly observed before products from such animals are certified for consumption.

“People who may have a genuine reason to apply chemicals to open farmlands or fields should please notify their host communities to avoid grazing animals on such fields for at least one week.”

A federal high court in Kano has ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

The Kano state house of assembly passed the amended bill on Thursday, May 23.

Hours later, it was signed into law by Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano.

The law repealed the 2019 version which balkanised the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions, and which was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi as Emir in 2020.

Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano on Thursday by kingmakers and the governor, following the repeal of the 2019 legislation.

Ruling in a suit filed by Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate, Mohammed Liman, the judge, asked the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.

The order was issued on Thursday, May 23.

The suit listed the Kano state government, Kano state house of assembly, the speaker of the house of assembly, attorney-general of Kano, commissioner of police, inspector-general of police (IGP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) as defendants.

The court also ordered that all processes be served on the IGP in Abuja.

“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application,” the judge ruled.

“That in view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.

“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eight respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.

“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.

“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”

Sanusi was dethroned after falling out with Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano at the time.

Ganduje’s All Progressives Congress (APC) lost the 2023 governorship poll in Kano to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), paving the way for the intrigues and brinkmanship that culminated in Sanusi’s return to the throne.

Tragedy struck in the early hours of Thursday, when over 20 passengers narrowly escaped death in multiple auto crashes at Kara Bridge, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The accident occurred inward Arepo, Lagos-Ogun boundary.

The accident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred at about 8.45 a.m. It led to a chaotic gridlock, leaving motorists stranded.

At press time, emergency responders were on the ground to ensure the removal of the vehicles impeding the free flow of traffic.

The responders include the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA; Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA; men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service; Police, among others.

The accident involved a 40-foot containerised truck, a luxury bus with number plates KPP921ZW, belonging to Sopuru Chukwu Motors, a Hiace bus, and a van used for commercial purposes.

The incident shut down about 99 percent of the road, thereby causing gridlock.

Meanwhile, the traffic officers are currently controlling traffic, pending the arrival of recovery vehicles.

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, attributed the accident to overspeeding and recklessness.

Oke-Osanyitolu confirmed that the 20 casualties, yet to be identified, were transported to nearby hospitals.

The ones with minor injuries were being treated on-site.