There are fears in
Nigeria over the outbreak of a deadly disease known as the Charcoal Anthrax, in
neighbouring Niger Republic.
The Federal Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Nigerian Customs Service
in their respective alerts to officers on the outbreak of the disease called on
them to exercise vigilance on the movement of the animals from Niger Republic
into Nigeria.
The NCS circular to
its officers across the country was signed by the Controller Enforcement,
Comptroller Victor Dimka on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller- General in-charge
of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection.
The circular added,
“The headquarters received a report which reveals that the Nigerien Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock had notified the World Organisation for Animal Health
of an outbreak of Charcoal Anthrax disease, Bacterium Bacillus Anthracis
variant, in sheep and cattle in the country.”
The NCS continued,
“Given the supply of cattle and sheep from Niger to Nigeria, the CGC
(Controller- General of Customs) has directed on urgent need to place
additional precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease into
Nigeria through our land borders.”
Also in a similar
alert to its veterinary officers, the FMARD said the anthrax is a deadly
zoonotic disease with a high rate of mortality in humans and livestock.
The Chief Veterinary
Officer of the Federation, Oniya Alabi, in the circular said it had become
important to strengthen surveillance systems across all entry points in border
communities considering the mass movement of animals and products across the
Niger Republic and Nigeria.
He appealed for
adequate measures to prevent the incursion of the disease into Nigeria.