The National Hunters’ Association of Nigeria (NHAN) has accused the Goodluck Jonathan government of using the Ebola virus outbreak to harm its business.
The group said things have been hard for its members, ever since the government told Nigerians to by stop eating bush meats, monkeys and bats, animals which are believed to be carriers of Ebola.
While addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, 12 August, the association made a statement saying that they are gradually loosing their main source of livelihood.
Chief Ishola Olasehinde, the president of the group, said the directive is unfair to hunters who help in safeguarding the country’s borders against terrorist attacks.
He said, “We hunters are the ones who protect the country’s borders from being invaded by nomads from Mali and Lake Chad. If not for our activities in the forest, Boko Haram members would have taken control of many cities in the country. This is not the way the government should reward us.”
He also added that once the meats are boiled and fried, the Ebola in the animal will die, and the meats are safe for people to consume.
“We want to use this medium to tell the government that our businesses have been affected since they have informed people to stop consuming bush meat to prevent Ebola. This is our only means of sustenance. Even if there is any virus in these animals, once they are boiled and fried, it gets killed. Government should include hunters in their research if they really want to prove that bush meat causes Ebola.
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