Residents of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital have asked to stop beef consumption for the next one week.
The state Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Salau Mohammed Tarawa, gave the warning on Thursday following the death of 20 cows due to suspected poisoning.
The agency mysterious death of the cows could be traced to alleged poisoning
The director said his ministry has retrieved some of the dead cows in the market for sale.
He said other cows were said to have been moved to Osara, Ajaokuta, Obajana, Koton Karfe and Kakanda in order to sell them to unsuspecting members of the public.
Tarawa said the ministry of agriculture is already working with security agencies to invite the herders involved for questioning and ensure that appropriate action was taken against them.
The Permanent Secretary, Malam Sani Abdulganiyu, urged members of the public to cooperate with the ministry to address the situation without compromising their health.
