Nigeria’s Food Crisis: How Poisonous Practices Are Killing Citizens Slowly
Nigerians may be unknowingly consuming dangerous chemicals and genetically modified foods that pose severe health risks, according to recent findings by experts and international agencies. The country’s food safety crisis has reached alarming proportions, with evidence showing widespread contamination and hazardous preservation methods.
The EU’s Shocking Findings on Nigerian Food Exports
Research conducted by the European Union revealed disturbing contaminants in Nigerian food exports, including:
- Glass fragments in food products
- Rodent excreta and dead insects
- Dangerous chemicals like dichlorvos and trichlorphon
- Microbial contamination including salmonella and aflatoxins
Between 2015 and 2016, the EU formally declared 42 Nigerian food items unfit for human consumption. These included staple foods like beans, melon seeds, palm oil, and groundnuts – products Nigerians consume daily in local markets.
Dangerous Food Preservation Practices
“Currently, there is panic in informed circles that the massive quantities of tilapia fish and frozen chicken consumed in Nigeria have been preserved with chemicals normally used for embalming dead bodies.”
Former Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh warned that Nigerians might be “killing themselves in instalments” through their food choices. Some of the most dangerous practices include:
1. Chemical Preservation of Fish and Poultry
Evidence suggests that tilapia fish and frozen chicken in Nigerian markets may be preserved with embalming chemicals, explaining their unusually long shelf life.
2. Nylon-Wrapped Moin-Moin
The popular bean cake cooked in cellophane (nylon) releases dangerous chemicals when heated, contaminating the food.
3. Sun-Exposed Sachet Water
Plastic sachets exposed to high temperatures leach harmful substances into drinking water, contributing to liver and kidney diseases.
The GMO Threat to Nigerian Agriculture
“One of the most serious threats to public health in the country is the grand entry and dangerous plot to takeover our agriculture by Monsanto.”
The Nigerian government’s approval of genetically modified crops has raised serious health concerns:
- Monsanto’s glyphosate-infused maize linked to liver/kidney degeneration
- NBMA accused of promoting GMOs rather than protecting public health
- Potential contamination of local food supply with untested modified crops
Nineteen European countries have completely banned GMO crops, while Russia prohibits all GMO imports and production. Experts question why Nigeria would embrace what developed nations reject.
Pesticide Abuse and Storage Problems
The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) reports:
- Nigerian farmers spend $400 million annually on pesticides
- Improper pesticide use causing widespread poisoning
- Lack of modern storage facilities exacerbating contamination
Professor Olufemi Peters of NSPRI advocates for safer alternatives like inert atmosphere silos for grain storage.
A Call for Action on Food Safety
Experts recommend immediate measures to address Nigeria’s food safety crisis:
- Strict enforcement of food safety regulations
- Ban on dangerous preservation methods
- Review of GMO crop approvals
- Investment in modern storage facilities
- Public education on food handling and safety
As Professor Jibrin Ibrahim concludes: “Maybe the question we should be posing is how come some Nigerians are still alive given the intense and systematic way we are poisoning ourselves.”
Credit: This article is based on original reporting by Premium Times.