The public has been warned by the Nigerian Custom Service, Ogun Area 1 Command, against the consumption of illegal transported frozen poultry products, due to it health repercussions.

Mr James Ojo, the command Comptroller, said this at an interview in Ota, on Monday, July 15.

He said that the World Health Organization, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and the Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, has portrayed the consumption of illegal transported frozen poultry products as having harmful effects on the health of the people.

Mr Ojo James said: “The frozen poultry products smuggled into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin were preserved with chemicals and often lacked proper regulatory oversight, increasing the risk of harmful chemicals being used for preservation.”

“Also, they may not meet the nutritional standards required for healthy consumption and poor handling as well as preservation techniques can degrade the nutritional quality of the meat, thus leading to potential deficiencies when consumed regularly.”

He further went ahead and mentioned some of the chemicals which includes formaldehyde and other preservatives which could cause life threatening health issues, like cancer, organ damage and poisoning.

He warned those who are into the smuggling business to stop it as the Custom will not stop in making sure illegal goods banned in the country are not allowed into the country.

It was earlier reported on Sunday, July 14, that the Lagos State Taskforce had arrested eight suspects, for the sales of contaminated Turkey that was seized by the Nigeria Custom Service.

The agency’s Spokesperson, Gbedeyan Abdulraheem, said in a statement on Sunday that: “during a raid in Epe, the agency discovered that dozens of cartons filled with contaminated Turkey seized by the Nigeria Custom Service and were set ablaze at a dumpsite, somehow found their way into the hands of unscrupulous elements trying to sell it to the members of the public.”

He said following the rip-off from a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rasheed Shabi, and the Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, the Taskforce officials swung into action, raided the shanties close to the dumpsite and caught eight suspects with some of the contam Turkeys, and also some harmful weapons.