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A poultry farm in Ibadan, Redi Foods, through its Managing Director, Sina Kawonise, has sued Hybrid Feeds Limited, for N12.5 million over the loss of thousands of birds in the farm due to alleged poisoning by poultry feed bought from the company.
It named as the second defendant in the suit filed before Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, Mrs. Arogundade, a distributor and owner of Monatan depot located at Iwo Road, who sold the products to the first defendant.
Kawonise in his statement of claim, said he purchased a total of 856 25kg bags of chicken Hybrid Feed from the defendant totalling ₦2,337,500.00.
He alleged that the feed killed and wiped out thousands of the birds stock as they were later found to be poisonous.
The farmer lamented that all efforts made to get the vendor to compensate for his loss proved abortive, despite evidence from government accredited laboratory which confirmed that the chickens were indeed poisoned by the Hybrid feed.
Counsel to the claimant, Adebayo Salau, who appeared before Justice M. Ishola of Court 8, Oyo State High Court, on Thursday, said his client is demanding ₦12,537,800.00, being the total loss incurred as a result of the feed poisoning.
He also asked for general and exemplary damages totalling N5,000,000.00 for the untoward hardship and trauma caused by the 1st and 2nd defendants’ actions in selling the lethal product which resulted in the mortalities and enormous financial loss to him.
“We are in Court today because my client purchased some hybrid feed from the defendant. The feed were poisonous and killed the birds in his farm. We have written to them; initially they were begging, but, when we saw that they were not forthcoming, we then instituted a court action.
“My client is demanding for the amount lost because of the unfortunate incident. My lord, my client spent money on drugs, he consulted some veterinary doctors, among others,” Salau said.
Justice Ishola, after listening to both Salau and counsel to the defendant, Mrs Seun Akande, adjourned the case till December 15 for pre-trial conference while also awarding N5,000 in favour of the claimant, Redi Foods.