Lovers of cattle hide and skin, popularly known as ponmo, have been warned to be wary of the delicacy as poisonous ones have found their way into markets in Ogun State.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner of Agriculture in the state, Ronke Sokefun, in Abeokuta on Thursday, while addressing ponmo sellers.
She warned people to be wary of ponmo that are ridiculously cheap, have a brownish-black colour, seem very thick and are foul-smelling.
Sokefun said that the sellers of the killer ponmo are taking advantage of the disparity between the great demand and inadequate supply.
“Tanning chemicals like biocides and fungicides are added along the processing chain to preserve the hides against protein degradation, bacteria and mould growth that would have damaged the hides and skin,” Sokefun stressed.
The killer ponmo is from raw hide used in leather production that has been imported from countries like Japan, Italy and Sudan, the commissioner said.