Taraba govt dismisses reports of anthrax outbreak

The Taraba State Government has denied the alleged outbreak of anthrax disease in the state.

It would be recalled that some broadcasting stations recently announced that cases of the disease had been recorded in the state.

Denying the notion on Tuesday at the flag off of free vaccination of livestock against the dreaded anthrax disease at Kpanti Napu, in Yorro local government council of the state, the Director, Veterinary Services, Dr Shehu Abdullahi Yaro, said no case of the disease had been recorded.

He accused the last administration of failing to invest in animal vaccination, forcing livestock owners to seek self-help, adding it had resulted in extensive drug misuse and the emergence of resistant disease-causing agents with its attendant complications of widespread drug resistance.

Citing the confirmation of the outbreak of the disease in some parts of the country, the state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, through the Commissioner of Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Oliver Namessan, said the state had considered it important to be proactive in halting the disease from entering the state.

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He called on the Director, Veterinary Services (DVS), of the Ministry and his Divisional Veterinary Officers across the 16 local government councils to ensure immediate commencement of the anthrax vaccination of susceptible animal species.

He sought the cooperation of security operatives to ensure the success of the exercise, adding that livestock owners must be vigilant and report any suspicious illnesses or deaths in animals.

The first anthrax outbreak was reported on July 14, 2023, at a livestock farm in Niger State before another was reported in Lagos State.