By Muhammed Bashir
Dutse – The Jigawa Government has commenced aerial spraying of pesticides to control Quela birds that ravaged rice and millet farmlands in seven local government areas of the state.
Alhaji Hamza Muhammad, the Special Assistant (SA) to the government on Community Development and Inclusion, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Dutse.
Muhammad said the local governments are; Auyo, Kirikasamma, Miga, Guri, Birniwa, Kaugama and Malammadori.
He said the exercise which commenced on Sept. 15, would end on Sept. 24.
The special assistant added that two jets were conducting the exercise.
According to him, the exercise is part of the government’s efforts to prevent the birds from further destroying crops cultivated by farmers in the affected areas.
Muhammad, therefore, called on people residing close to where the exercise was being conducted to avoid touching the birds with bare hands in order not to contract disease.
He also urged them to ensure that they covered drinking water, food and other edibles.