News
Anthrax: NBMA cautions govt., confirms first case in Nigeria
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has urged Nigerians to exercise caution following a reported case of anthrax on a farm in Suleja, Niger close to the Federal capital Territory.
The Director-General of NBMA, Dr Agnes Asagbra made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
Asagbra said that there have been reports of animals exhibiting symptoms of a potential case of anthrax at Gajiri along the Abuja-Kaduna motorway in Suleja LGA, of Niger.
“Some of the animals showed symptoms including blood flowing from their body openings, including their noses, eyes, ears and mouths.
“The case happened on a multi-species farm with cattle, sheep and goats on the said farm,” she said.
Asagbra said that the Federal Government sent a response team to visit the farm and took samples for testing of which the result has been confirmed to be positive, making it the first recorded case of anthrax in Nigeria in recent years.
The DG urged the general public to avoid direct contact with sick or dead animals especially those exhibiting symptoms associated with anthrax.
She further urged farmers, herders and individuals involved in animal husbandry to take extra care and seek veterinary assistance if they suspect any sign of illness in their livestock.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NBMA had on June 13, issued a warning to Nigerians about Anthrax, a potentially fatal disease that can be contracted from infected animals or through contaminated products.
This was after receiving report of an anthrax outbreak in Northern Ghana where all infected animals had died.
Asagbra warned that Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium which mainly affects livestock particularly cattle, sheep and goats.
She said that humans can become infected through contact with an infected animal or by inhaling spores.
“The sickness, is a zoonotic disease caused by germs that may spread from animals to humans.
“If anthrax is not identified and treated promptly, it can cause pneumonia, serious lung issues, breathing difficulties, shock, and death.
“Symptoms of anthrax include flu-like symptoms like coughing, fever and muscular aches,” Asagbra said.
Asagbra implored all stakeholders in the food and agricultural industry to prioritise safety measures and adhere to biosafety regulations in order to safeguard the health of our citizens.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has confirmed the death of a woman in an accident at Okpoko Market on the Asaba-Onitsha Road.
The Sector Commander, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, who confirmed the accident to journalists in Awka on Thursday, said that the woman was hit while she was crossing the road.
He said that the accident, which occurred on Wednesday, involved a commercial tow truck with registration number XA550BMA.
“Eyewitness report reaching us indicates that the truck was towing a vehicle in an uncontrollable speed along the axis.
“The vehicle that was being towed got detached from the tow truck.
“It hit and killed a female adult, who was said to be crossing the road, while the tow truck continued its movement.
“FRSC rescue team came to the scene and took the woman to Toronto Hospital, Onitsha, where she was confirmed dead and her body deposited at the hospital’s mortuary,” he said.
While sympathising with the family of the dead, the sector commander urged motorists, especially tow truck drivers, to exercise a high level of professionalism.
He also urged the drivers to always use standard equipment and avoid speeding.
The Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, said the state government’s maize palliative to members of the association made a positive impact on the sector.
Iyiola said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
“We received about 150,000 tons of maize in February from the Lagos State government as palliative to cushion the effect of high feed prices.
“The major benefit of the palliative is that it actually cushioned the cost of production for most poultry farmers in the state.
“The palliative was beneficial as it made the cost of some poultry produce, especially eggs to drop,” Iyiola said.
He noted that prior to the palliative, a crate of egg was sold between N3,500 and N3,700 at the farm gate, but after the palliative, it now sells between N3,200 and N3,400.
According to the PAN chair, retailers and middlemen who sell from N3,800 to N4,200 do that for their personal gain.
“We have urged our members to sell their eggs at reasonable prices following the receipt of the palliative from the government.
“We appreciate the Lagos State government for the palliative but we also urge the federal government to do likewise, to further reduce the cost of production in the sector.
“This will consequently lead to drop in the prices of all poultry produce across board,” he said.
He said the palliative was shared among financial members of the association at no extra cost.
“As an association we shared the grains equally across PAN’s eight zones in the state equally. We also mandated each zone not the sell even a grain of the maize.
“We, however, considered new poultry farmers who wanted to the join the association as beneficiaries of the palliative,” said Iyiola.
He noted that through the palliative, more poultry farmers were recruited into the association.
“The maize was shared only to poultry farmers and not feed millers, it is the major component of poultry feed formulation,” he said.
Woman killed while crossing road in Anambra
LASG’s maize palliative impactful, says poultry association chair
Fagbemi warns against obstructing EFCC from performing its lawful duty
BDCs now buying dollar at ₦980 — ABCON President
Osun Poly Student, Olanrewaju Olatona killed by hit-and-run one-way driver
Seplat Energy celebrates a decade of Dual Listing with Bell Ringing Ceremony at Nigerian Stock Exchange
3 teens arrested in Germany for allegedly plotting terror attack
Breaking…Naira abuse: Court sentences Bobrisky to 6 months in custody
Lagos Court Grants Emefiele N50m Bail
