ENUGU— The Enugu State Police Command has said the viral video showing dead vultures in an Enugu community market were killed by bird hunters, dismissing claims it may have eaten cow meat meant for human consumption.
There was pandemonium earlier in the state on Sunday morning as a video in circulation showed many dead vultures in Enugu (at Eke market in Ihe community, Awgu Local Government Area) suspected to have consumed remnants of cow meat sold to local consumers in the area.
Reacting, however, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ebere Amarizu, said the death of the vultures was as a result of poisonous mixtures with leftover meats which was deliberately concocted by poachers to capture the vultures.
According to the police spokesperson, “The attention of the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a wide speculations occasioned by a video in circulation that a lot of vultures consumed cow meat and died in Enugu community.
“The Command wish to inform members of the public that there is no cause for alarm as enquiry conducted by the command revealed that it is the activity of bird hunters(poachers) who usually mix some concoction with slaughtered animal left overs and faeces with a view to attracting vultures to it and to consume it.
“Further information gathered revealed that after consuming it, vultures will be weak and subsequently die for them to go and pick it. However, some vultures believed to have taken the concoction of these bird hunters(poachers) fell down Enugu community market and were not able to be picked on time before the widespread speculations.
“The command however wishes to make it clear that it is not emanating from any slaughtered animal for human consumption but rather the activities of mischief makers who want to provoke and cause mayhem in the state. The commissioner of police enjoins all to be law abiding and go about their normal lawful businesses.”
