By John Ikani
Customs Area Controller, CAC of Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Hussein Ejubunu, has warned Nigerians against the importation and use of ‘used clothes’, especially with the outbreak of Monkeypox in the country.
Ejubunu who issued the warning at a press briefing in Lagos, explained that the world is wary of monkey pox whose mode of transmission includes clothing.
The controller also pointed out that smuggling of used clothes has economic and health implications on Nigerians.
Ejubunu’s comments came on the backdrop of the massive discovery of 1,955 bales of used clothing in an abandoned building around the Lagos international trade fair complex.
He explained that Used clothing in commercial quantity falls under absolute prohibition, adding that the discovered 1,955 bales of used clothing have been seized and the service is on the trail of the smugglers to get them arrested.
According to him: “The very serious health implication of this act of textile smuggling is exposure of users to skin diseases like scabies and fungal diseases which can be transmitted by wearing unwashed second-hand clothes.
“This is coming at a time when the world is wary of monkey pox whose mode of transmission includes clothing. According to a World Health Organization fact-sheet, Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.
“Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.
“It is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.
“The government in its wisdom wants the local textile industry to enjoy protection and create more jobs for Nigerians from the cotton farms through the textile and garment factories to our markets.”
