Illegal Cotton Seeds Destroyed in Nasarawa as NBMA, EHCON, NASWAMSA Step Up Biosafety Enforcement By Okwo romeon

Illegally imported cotton seeds have been safely destroyed in Nasarawa State in a joint enforcement operation involving the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) and the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority (NASWAMSA).

The confiscated seeds were disposed of at NASWAMSA’s Final Disposal Site in Tudun Wada, Karu Local Government Area, using approved biosafety, environmental health and waste management procedures designed to prevent any threat to human health, agriculture, biodiversity and the environment.

The operation, led by the Director-General of the NBMA, Dr. Fatima Suleiman Zuntu, underscores renewed efforts by regulatory authorities to stop the circulation of illegally imported agricultural materials capable of undermining Nigeria’s biosafety regime, food security and environmental sustainability.

Speaking to journalists during the exercise, Zuntu said the destruction was a critical enforcement measure to ensure that illegally imported agricultural materials do not enter the farming system or create potential risks to the country’s biodiversity and food production.

She reaffirmed the NBMA’s commitment to strict enforcement of Nigeria’s biosafety laws and sustained collaboration with relevant institutions to protect public health, agriculture and the environment.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Baba Mohammad, who was represented at the exercise, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to strengthening environmental health standards, particularly in the safe handling and disposal of hazardous and regulated materials.

He commended the participating agencies for their coordinated approach, describing the collaboration as a model of effective institutional partnership.

Representing NASWAMSA Director-General, Hon. Mohammed Bello Isa, the Director of Waste Management, Dr. Ishaq Abubakar Ibrahim, said the Authority remained committed to environmentally sound waste management in line with national and international best practices.

Ibrahim said NASWAMSA was prepared to continue supporting federal institutions and development partners in the safe disposal of hazardous and regulated waste in order to safeguard public health and the environment.

The successful operation highlights the importance of inter-agency collaboration in enforcing Nigeria’s biosafety regulations and strengthening environmental sanitation and waste management practices.

It also sends a strong message that illegally imported and potentially hazardous agricultural materials will not be allowed to circulate unchecked, as government agencies intensify efforts to protect Nigeria’s environment, biodiversity and future food security.

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