By Sogeyinbo Abdulrahmon Olabanji (SIWES student, Gate Way Polytechnic Saapade)
Benue State government has issued a warning about the influx of live rats into the state, citing concerns of a potential Lassa fever outbreak.
Dr. Terungwa Ngishe, the State Epidemiologist, expressed these concerns during a Sensitisation Engagement on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) organized by the Benue State office of One Health in Makurdi.
He highlighted that individuals engaged in this rat trade are capitalizing on the cultural preference for rats as a delicacy in Benue, importing them from states like Kano, Kaduna, and Bauchi, thereby posing a significant risk to the populace.
