By Ezra Musa
Kaduna, Dec. 24, 2025
The Kaduna State Government has issued a critical call to action, urging poultry farmers and live bird marketers to fortify their defenses against a persistent and costly threat: Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu. This move signals an escalation in the state’s proactive strategy to prevent devastating outbreaks that jeopardize animal health, food security, and public safety.
Abubakar Abba, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Agriculture, delivered this urgent message during a high-stakes stakeholders’ engagement in Kaduna. He emphasized that the cornerstone of this defense is not a complex medical intervention, but rigorous and consistent biosecurity.
“Strict adherence to biosecurity measures across poultry farms and live bird markets remains the most effective and economical way to curb the spread of this disease,” Abba stated. He outlined non-negotiable practices that form a protective barrier:
- Maintain Impeccable Hygiene: Regular and thorough cleaning of poultry houses, equipment, and vehicles to eliminate pathogens.
- Control Access: Restrict entry to farms to essential personnel only, implementing footbaths and changing facilities to prevent external contamination.
- Prevent Cross-Contamination: A critical measure is to stop all contact between domestic poultry and wild birds, which are natural carriers of the virus.
- Disinfect Relentlessly: Establish a strict protocol for disinfecting all tools, crates, and footwear before and after contact with birds.
Beyond prevention, Abba stressed the life-saving importance of early detection and transparent reporting. “Farmers are the first line of surveillance. Prompt reporting of unusual poultry deaths, respiratory distress, or a sudden drop in egg production is not an admission of failure—it is an act of collective responsibility,” he explained. He assured stakeholders that all reports would be handled with professionalism and confidentiality, aimed at containment, not blame.
The state’s approach is multi-faceted. The Ministry, through its Veterinary Services Department and in collaboration with partners like OLAM, is strengthening three core pillars: disease surveillance (to detect threats early), veterinary extension services (to educate farmers), and rapid response capacity (to contain outbreaks).
Significantly, Abba framed Avian Influenza not merely as an agricultural problem but as a public health concern guided by the ‘One Health’ approach. This global concept recognizes that the health of people, animals, and ecosystems are interconnected. Certain strains of bird flu (like H5N1) can, albeit rarely, jump to humans, posing a serious zoonotic risk. Kaduna’s mitigation efforts, therefore, protect both the economic livelihood of farmers and the broader community’s health.
Echoing this commitment, Dr. Zakariya Pakachi, Director of Veterinary Services, highlighted the state’s demonstrated investment in agriculture, with steady budgetary growth from 2023 through the 2026 appropriation. “This meeting is timely as we enter the high-risk influenza season,” Pakachi noted, expressing confidence that sustained collaboration would build a more resilient poultry industry.
The engagement culminated in a tangible action: the inauguration of a dedicated Avian Influenza Rapid Response Team. This specialized team has a clear, immediate mandate: to conduct a three-month intensive decontamination campaign across poultry farms and live bird markets statewide. This physical cleansing operation is a direct assault on any lingering virus, complementing the behavioral changes demanded of farmers.
In essence, Kaduna’s intensified strategy is a dual-pronged campaign: empowering every farmer with knowledge and responsibility for daily biosecurity, while backing them up with a robust, state-level surveillance and rapid-response infrastructure. The success of this effort hinges on the active participation of all stakeholders, including the Poultry Association of Nigeria, in turning field-based insights into practical solutions.
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
Source: NAN News
