Two People Arrested With Substandard Ponmo From Madagascar In Rivers State

 

The Rivers State Government has intercepted a truckload of suspected substandard animal hide, popularly called ponmo, in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of the state, even as two persons accompanying the truck were arrested. The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol, who confirmed the incident while speaking to journalists on Port Harcourt, said the import papers showed that the seized product came into the country from Madagascar.

Kpakol said the containerised truck, which conveyed the product, came through the Onne Port, adding that it was seized and taken to the police area command in Eleme for further investigation.

The commissioner defined that the arrest accompanied a tip-off and the ministry quick swung into motion with the help of the police, adding that the nation police command might conduct a full-scale research into the incident.

Kpakol said, “We got a tip-off that some canda meat that turned into imported discovered its way into the state. We went in and located out that it had are available in from the Onne Port.

“It’s became a field full of canda meat. We had been capable of intercept it and took it to the area command. When it turned into opened, it was located that it changed into adulterated and stinking.

“From the import paper, we discovered out that it came in from Madagascar.”

Meanwhile, the Area Police Command stated it had begun investigation into the incident.

The Police Area Commander, Martins Nwogu, said that those arrested with the truck claimed that the consignment became owned by means of a person absolutely known as Alhaji and contained uncooked materials for the making footwear and bags.

When contacted, the police spokesman for the country, Nnamdi Omoni, stated the command had yet to get the record, however promised to touch the Eleme Area Command and get returned to our correspondent.

As of the time of submitting this record, he had but to get back to our correspondent.