Over 100,000 birds have so far been destroyed in Kano and Adamawa States as governments of the two states fight to control the spread of avian influenza, popularly known as bird flu.
In Kano, 45 farms have been affected and 80,000 birds were destroyed, following reported outbreak of the contagious disease.
The Adamawa State government, on other hand, disclosed that it has destroyed over 24,000 birds infected with avian influenza, after an outbreak at a farm in Toungo Local Government Area of the state.
The farm manager of Adda-Rogo, where the bird flu outbreak was detected, Muhammed Hassan, said over 24,000 fowls, 250 peacocks, 456 guinea fowls and 54 turkeys affected had been destroyed.
Speaking to reporters in Kano, Director of veterinary services in the state’s Ministry of Agriculture, Shehu Bawa, warned traders to stop selling infected birds to unsuspecting customers.
He cautioned that anybody found selling ailing birds to people would face prosecution.
According to him, the outbreak was recorded in nine Local Government Areas of the state, adding that government is on top of the situation.
Bawa urged poultry farmers in the state to quickly report any symptom of the disease to the nearest veterinary hospital.
The director hinted that the government had taken serious measures to curtail the spread of the disease.
Adamawa State commissioner for Livestock Production, Alhaji Isa Salihu, who supervised the destruction of the infected birds at Adda-Rogo Poultry Farm in Toungo Local Government Area, said the federal and state governments had taken precautionary measures to curtail spread of the disease.
He said all affected poultry farms and poultry workers in the area have been quarantined.
“We thank God for quick intervention to contain the disease from spreading to other poultry farms in the area.
“Already the state government has massively embarked on sensitization campaign for people to avoid having contact with dead birds or eating infected birds,” he said.
He said the state government had restricted movements of birds, eggs and other related animals, being part of measures to contain the disease.
