'It’s dangerous for now' - Details emerge as FG tells Nigerians to stop eating Ponmo

The federal government on Monday, June 12, raised the alarm over a deadly virus outbreak.

In the statement, the FG said cow skin, locally called "ponmo", is dangerous at the moment, Daily Trust reported.

The FG’s alert was contained in a statement by the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development, TVC News also reported.

Apart from ponmo, the FG also strongly advised Nigerians to halt consuming smoked meat and bush meat.

Authorities said the alert became necessary following the outbreak of Anthrax in some neighbouring West African countries.

A statement signed by the permanent secretary (PS) of the ministry, Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, reads in part:

“Signs of anthrax are flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, muscle aches and if not diagnosed and treated early, lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock and death.”

In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), about 120 tons of chemical-laden ponmo were imported into Nigeria.

The director-general of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who made the disclosure recently stated that samples of the harmful product have been taken to the agency's laboratories for testing.