Lassa Fever: Rat killers selling like hot cake in Abuja

Vendors of mouse traps and poisons in Abuja are now doing brisk business following the outbreak of lassa fever in several states across the country.

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN's survey in Abuja indicated that residents of Nigeria's capital city are buying up rat poisons and mouse traps like never before.

Rat killer vendors in Wuse, Garki and Utako markets confirmed that they are now smiling to the bank unlike the period before the outbreak of lassa fever when no one paid attention to them.

For Mallam Usman Abdullahi who deals on rat poisons at Garki market, sales has witnessed an upsurge since the last two weeks that lassa fever has been in the news.

“The demand rose immediately one person was reported killed by the fever in Abuja.

“People now patronise us; the most expensive rat poison that used to go for N600 is now sold for N700, but people still buy without complaining.

“Most of the time, customers ask for the strongest poison that will kill rats instantly; the poison that kills and dries up the rats are really in demand.

“Although the Lassa disease is a bad thing, for us it is good business since we are making our profit,” he told NAN.

Since the current outbreak of lassa fever, more and more people are paying attention to the elimination of rodents around their homes.