Nigeria's Daily Independent reports that the Plateau NESREA Enforcement Officer, Nyam Ajiji, gave the warning in Jos while meeting with members of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Plateau chapter.

Mr Ajiji said that dirty farms constituted nuisance to the environment and stood the risk of being sanctioned if discovered by NESREA officials.

According to him, NESREA, as a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Environment, has the mandate of making the environment safe for all Nigerians.

He said that this included sanitising the poultry business environment.

"Some of you are in the habit of keeping your farms dirty thereby constituting a nuisance to the environment.

"Our job is to ensure that the environment is conducive for Nigerians; NESREA staff will be going round poultry farms to ensure that your farms are clean.

"NESREA is for all Nigerians and whatever environmental challenge you have, the office can help address the issue.

"Our staff will ensure that your farms are clean and are not constituting any environment and health hazard," he said.

According to him, defaulters will be advised and subsequently sanctioned if they fail to heed the advice.

Mr Ajiji noted that many of the environmental challenges confronting man were caused by human activities.

He urged the poultry farmers to get copies of the NESREA regulation codes that affected their area of operation in order to be aware of what was expected of them.

In his remark, the Plateau PAN chairman, Julius Gusan, commended NESREA officials for enlightening his members and pledged that they would adhere to the prescribed standards.

Mr Gusan called on his members to maintain clean farms at all times.