The Nigerian government may
direct a change in the package of ‘Sniper’, an agro-chemical that has
increasingly become a choice killer for persons contemplating suicide, an
official said.
The National Agency for Food and
Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it is partnering with other
relevant bodies on this as part of plans to discourage the use of Sniper as a
tool for suicide.
This is in response to calls for
a check on the proliferation and ease of access to Sniper in markets and
streets across the nation.
According to Vanguard Newspaper,
the Director General of NAFDAC, Christiana Adeyeye, said 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 suicide rate has increased in
Nigeria with Sniper among the agents popularly used.
Notable among the reported
incidents is that of a 400-level student of the Department of English and
Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Chukwuemeka Akachi.
There was another case of a
pastor in a popular Pentecostal church who recently committed suicide after
consuming the deadly substance.
NAFDAC boss, Christiana Adeyeye [Photo: Lagos
Television]
That was before Ayomide and Ajani
Damilola of the University of Lagos were reported to have killed themselves
using the insecticide following the accusations that they stole clothes in
their hostel.
Another 32-year-old banker and
mother of two, identified as Peace, of Ughelli, Delta State, committed suicide
over her husband’s alleged infidelity. She also took Sniper.
Sniper: An easy killer?
The ease of access to Sniper
despite its wrong use has become a worry for many Nigerians.
Bottles of Sniper can be picked
up easily on the streets as they are sold openly in the market.
The World Health Organisation
(WHO) estimates that the method used for 20 per cent of global suicides was
through pesticide self-poisoning and they mostly occur in developing countries.
Suicide victims appear to find
gulping the liquid content of the agro-chemical inside a white container an
easier route out.
But experts argue that it is
easier to die by a bullet on the forehead than to face the agony that follows
after drinking sniper.
NAFDAC’s warning
Mrs Adeyeye also discouraged 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,” the NAFDAC chief said.
Why Nigerians use Sniper indoors
Sniper is a DDVP,
2,2-Dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate compound, marketed in Nigeria by
Swiss-Nigerian Chemical Company, as a synthetic organophosphorus. Many
Nigerians have, however, converted it to an indoor insecticide.
Sniper is predominantly used as
an insecticide because of its effectiveness in killing insects better than
well-established brands of insecticide.
The demand is also fuelled by its
affordability. A 100ml of sniper goes for between N200 and N300 while its
competitors cost as much as N750 for 100ml.
“However, Nigerians may be paying
a heavier price with their health in the long term, if the trend is left
unchecked”, a microbiologist, Fatima Ahmed, explained.
“The instruction on Sniper says
apply diluted portions to crops and there’s a ‘withdrawal’ time in which the
crop should not be consumed so the active ingredient degrades to minimal level
before consumption. Now compare this minute concentration to drinking from the
original sniper bottle,” she noted in the report.
According to her, health experts
have raised concerns over the indiscriminate use of Sniper pesticide in the
control of mosquitoes, cockroaches and other household insects.
“They warned on its dangerous
effects, especially to respiratory organs and even carcinogenic risks. A person
may be exposed to the associated risk of Sniper through inhalation, absorption
via the skin, ingestion, and eye contact.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com