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In view of the alarming use of popular agricultural pesticide, Sniper, in suicide cases in the country, NAFDAC has ordered agro-dealers to withdraw the product from open markets and supermarkets.
Dr. Bukar Usman, Director, Veterinary Medicine and Allied Products Directorate of NAFDAC, disclosed this on Wednesday at the premises of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
Usman, speaking during the launch of a new herbicide for cassava farmers, Lifeline, by UPL, Sprinfield Agro and IITA, said that the agency has asked agro-dealers to stop the sale of the product in open markets and supermakets.
His words: “Recently, some suicide cases have been associated with people drinking Sniper. Henceforth, we are calling on the agro-chemical industry to enhance their distribution channels so that this product (Sniper) gets to only accredited distributors and marketers. We have also placed a ban on the manufacture of smaller packs of Snipper which are easily purchased for household use”.
According to him, Sniper (which contains Dichlorvos or 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) is an agro-cultural product meant to be used only in the farms and not in homes. He urged manufacturers and dealers to coperate with NAFDAC to mop up the 100ml bottle of the product which are cheap and easily acquired for household use.
He maintained that the directive was not an outright ban of the product but a restriction of its use and availability to farms alone. He said all agrochemicals meant for farms should not be used in households.
“There are appropriate products for the control of mosquitoes and other household pests” he pointed out.
Recently, there has been a spike in suicide cases in the country and most of the victims were reported to have drank Sniper which is a very strong chemical. Currently, the 100ml bottle are available in the open market for about N500 per bottle.