Abuja – The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said on Wednesday that it has depopulated 700, 000 birds in a bid to halt the spread of bird flu in the territory.
Dr Musa Aliyu, the acting Director, Administration and Finance, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, revealed this in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Aliyu urged residents of the FCT to remain calm and assured them of the administration`s readiness to combat the disease.
He said the disease was reported on three farms located in Kuje and Gwagwalada, adding that the farms had been quarantined for disinfection.
Aliyu noted that the secretariat had embarked on an aggressive sensitisation campaign to create the much needed awareness on the signs and symptoms of the animal disease.
He urged residents in the FCT to report any suspected case to the appropriate authorities through the following phone numbers; 08032977193, 08035922291 or 08037869998.
Also speaking, the acting Director, Agriculture Secretariat, Dr Regina Adulogba, said veterinary officers had been deployed to the affected farms.
She said the FCT authority was collaborating with the FCT Chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) to prevent further spread of the disease.
Adulogba urged poultry farmers to stick to bio-security measures and to promptly report any suspected case to the nearest veterinary service outlet.
The acting director, who allayed the fears of residents, said there was no cause for alarm as experts have the situation was under control.
She urged residents to embrace good personal hygiene and cook poultry products properly before consumption.
The acting director assured FCT residents that there was no chicken or egg in any market that is from any of the infected farm.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that bird flu first broke out in Nigeria in 1996.
The disease resurfaced in the country in January 2015 and has since then spread to 21 states including the FCT. (NAN)