Following public backlash over his controversial motion on dog meat consumption, the member representing Etinan State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Uduakobong Ekpo-Ufot, has clarified that he was misinterpreted by colleagues who rejected the proposal.
Speaking during the Etinan Day celebration at Ibom Christmas Unplugged 3.0, Ekpo-Ufot said the motion he presented was never intended to outlaw dog meat consumption.
Instead, he explained that it sought to end the brutal and unhygienic slaughter practices commonly used in Nigeria.
“Some sections of the media erroneously reported that I moved a motion to ban dog meat. That is not true,” he stated.
“My motion specifically addresses the cruel and inhumane ways dogs are killed, which raise serious animal welfare and public health concerns.”
His motion, titled: “Motion to discontinue the consumption of dog meat, based on the methods of slaughter,” was filed under Order IV, Rule I of the Standing Orders of the state House of Assembly.
It highlighted widely used slaughter methods, which include strangulation, blunt force trauma, and suffocation, which animal welfare advocates say inflict severe suffering.
Ekpo-Ufot further warned that these practices pose public health threats, including the spread of zoonotic diseases such as rabies, toxocara, trichinella-like parasites, leptospira, salmonella, and campylobacter.
Citing global standards, he noted that countries like South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and parts of Australia have banned dog meat consumption over similar animal welfare and health concerns.
The lawmaker noted that his intent was not to prohibit dog meat consumption but to encourage the adoption of humane slaughter techniques, such as stunning, and to urge the executive to create regulations that safeguard public health.
“This motion is about improving standards and protecting public health, while ensuring the welfare of animals. It is not about prohibiting the consumption of dog meat,” he reiterated.
Ekpo-Ufot’s clarification comes amid growing national debate over animal welfare and ethical food practices in Nigeria, where public awareness of humane treatment and food safety continues to rise.
