By Shola Abayomi.
In response to calls to curtail the proliferation and ease of access to Sniper (an agro-chemical predominantly used as an insecticide) in markets and streets across the country, which has become a choice killer for persons contemplating suicide, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is reportedly on the verge of regulating the product and initiating moves for its repackaging.
According to the Director General of NAFDAC, Christiana Adeyeye, Sniper containers “could now be made very difficult to open, or may be turned into a spray rather than the liquid contents it is known for.”
The NAFDAC DG also warned against the use of Sniper and other agro-chemicals for the preservation of food as they contain substances harmful to the human body.
“We also decry poor handling of foods in Nigeria by producers and sellers, because the populace and consumers are being exposed unduly to health risks from contaminants.
“The use of unapproved insecticides such as Sniper for the preservation of grains by unauthorised persons, the use of containers contaminated with hazardous chemicals such as fertilizer bags for grains or chemical drums and jerry cans for food storage are classic examples of a common practice among the market men and women due to ignorance”, she said.