The Kwara State Government has warned members of the public to stop patronising illegal butchers' shops to avoid the deadly anthrax disease and its dire consequences.

The Director of Personnel, Finance and Supply (DPFS), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Abdullahi Kayode Abdulwahab, gave the warning in a statement made available to newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital.

According to the statement, the warning became imperative due to the recent outbreak of anthrax in the country, which it described as a highly contagious and deadly disease that has the capacity to cause unprecedented human casualties.

Abdulwahab also warned members of the public against consuming beef from unauthorised Slaughter Slabs, Abattoirs and Butchers' shops, which, according to him, operate illegally without proper sanitary and health standards.

He said: “In view of the above, all private slaughterhouses are hereby requested to register with the Kwara State Government through the Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, for proper monitoring and appropriate measures to prevent the spread of anthrax and other zoonotic diseases.”

The statement, however, stressed the importance of displaying appropriate licenses from the Ministry of Agriculture to demonstrate compliance with public health regulations in order to assure consumers that the meat is certified for human consumption.

It also enjoined all residents to be more vigilant at this critical time and report any slaughterhouse without a displayed license to the authority.

It further enjoined the public to report any suspected cases of anthrax, such as sudden death with blood oozing out from nose, mouth and other natural openings, in order to raise alert about doubtful meat sources, to the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Olugbon AbdulLateef Salman or call the State Committee Chairperson on disease prevention and control, Dr. Idiat Aminu on 08160989312.