6 persons arrested with ‘poisonous ponmo’ in Lagos

Detectives in Lagos have arrested six persons for allegedly selling poisonous cow skin, a local delicacy widely known as ‘ponmo’. The suspects were identified as Adelowo Yinka, 50; Olawumi Onabanjo, 40; Omowumi Wasiu, 43; Adeshokan Taiwo, 43; Iyabo Oluwa, 38; and Taye Kazeem, 40. Items recovered from the suspects included a large quantity of the […]

Detectives in Lagos have arrested six persons for allegedly selling poisonous cow skin, a local delicacy widely known as ‘ponmo’.

The suspects were identified as Adelowo Yinka, 50; Olawumi Onabanjo, 40; Omowumi Wasiu, 43; Adeshokan Taiwo, 43; Iyabo Oluwa, 38; and Taye Kazeem, 40.

Items recovered from the suspects included a large quantity of the ‘ponmo’ commodity and chemicals the arrested persons were said to be using as preservative.

The Lagos State police spokesman, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the arrest, said that on May 4, 2019, at about 5am, a team of officers led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Igando Division, acted on the strength of a piece of information from a credible source that a truck-load of ‘ponmo’ suspected  to be  poisonous had been discharged in a warehouse at No 9, College Road, Igando.

Elkana said that the consignment and the chemicals used in its preservation were recovered and one TATA truck registration number AKD-375-XB allegedly used to convey the goods to the warehouse impounded. He added that officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health had, after due examination, confirmed the cow skin to be poisonous and unfit for juman consumption.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State command, Zubairu Muazu,            said investigation was ongoing to ascertain the source of the food item        and the suspects would soon be charged to court.