By Chioma Obinna
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday urged Nigerians to discountenance the text messages being circulated round through the GSM that apple was now a poisonous fruit to eat.
In a statement by its Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, NAFDAC said it would launch a full-scale investigation into the matter, saying it could be the handiwork of unscrupulous business individuals or group.
The agency said it never issued any alert warning the general public against further consumption of apple because those recently imported had been found to be contaminated as claimed by the unscrupulous text message.
A sample of such text messages sent to one staff, reads: “Tell your loved ones and anybody you know. Apple is now a poisonous fruit to eat. All the ones imported into the country currently are contaminated and have been killing people. The statistics is nation wide and increasing. This message is from NAFDAC. It is not a rumour”.
Reacting to the text message that was spreading like wide fire at the time of this report especially in Lagos and its environs, the management of NAFDAC in a statement said NAFDAC never issued any alert on apple fruits and never reported or received any complain of contaminated apple fruit in the country.
The agency in a statement by its Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, NAFDAC said: “The attention of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to the strange GSM text messages being circulated in the country on speculated poisonous killer apples.
NAFDAC hereby categorically dissociates itself from the rumor and scare as no official of the Agency has made any statement on the presence of poisonous killer apples.”
“The Agency is deeply concerned about the grave consequences of the speculated killer apples and has immediately directed all NAFDAC offices across the country to investigate the authenticity of the rumor.
The general public is however advised to be alert and report to the nearest NAFDAC office any genuine case of unwholesome apples and other substandard regulated products.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC has taken samples of apples from various markets and retail outlets for laboratory analysis. Furthermore, the public is hereby informed that NAFDAC, at least for, now, issues public alert via radio, TV and print media and not by text messages. NAFDAC is working with security Agencies to track down the initiators of this text message.”
A mischievous SMS originated by a jobless individual. This will not be the first time these pranksters are trying something like this; we’ve all received such messages at one time or the other. They range from so-called anniversary promos by mobile operators to outright ruses notifying the receiver of winning competitions never entered for. But why spoil the business of hardworking men and women? As for me, I’m not put off by such devices as i still enjoy my “apple a day…”!
no im Nasiri Kolo!! don U chop my dolla!!!
The best strategy now as far as I am concerned is to avoid apples even though these rumours may not be all that true but at least it will bring down the price of apple. It’s becoming quite expensive for the common man.
I will avoid apples, at least for now. Thank God there are other fruits in abundance here in 9ja.
It is true fact. Barak Obama has ordered CIA to act against 419 guymen. Poison apple is chosen way.
I am Mr Nasiri Kolo, a banker,Director Auditing/ Accounting Unit of our Bank in Lagos. I have the opportunity of transferring the left over Funds ($12.5 M) of our late client who died along with his entire family in the year 2006 in a ghastly apple poisoning incident.
by the time nafdac officials will die of eating apple that is when they will know it’s not rumour. Let the man saying it’s not true buy it and give it to his children and wife. prevention is better than cure.
The rumour could be a mischievous false alarm! Really though, avoiding apples for the now wouldn’t be such a bad idea, would it? Precaution is always better. I’m not addicted to apples. Think about it.