Legislators of the Niger State House of Assembly have called on the Executive arm of Government to, as a matter of urgency, adopt preventive and curative steps to stem the spread of Anthrax disease in the state and the whole county.
Raising a motion to prevent the spread of the disease under matters of public importance, the member representing Suleja Constituency, Hon Murtala Adamu Badaru, said the deadly contagious disease spreads between animals and later animals to humans and even more severe when transmitted from human to human, saying, “at this stage makes it an epidemic” .
The lawmaker explained that on July 14, 2023, a report from the federal government’s office of the chief veterinary officer alerted the public to reports of animals exhibiting symptoms of the suspected anthrax.
“This disease had been confirmed at an animal farm in Gajiri village, Suleja Local Government Area of the state.
“This development is worrisome considering the fact that the first case of anthrax in Nigeria was recorded in Niger state, hence, the need for the state government to curtail the spread of the disease,” he said.
The legislators who took turns to support the motion, called on the Executive to set up a special committee of multidisciplinary experts to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the outbreak of the disease in the farm located at Gajiri area of Suleja LG.
The lawmakers also directed the council chairman of Suleja to convene an emergency meeting with relevant stakeholders in the area as well as increase surveillance at Suleja abattoir.
According to them, this will ensure strict adherence to rules and regulations on the disease, preventive, as well as curative control mechanism in the abattoir to save lives.
