By Daniel Essiet
A former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abiodun Adeloye has urged security and health agencies to intensify border checks to prevent infected animals from Chad and Niger Republic from entry into the country.
This follows the report of an outbreak of the killer charcoal Anthrax disease in the country to the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH).
The disease was first reported in Niger’s Tiliaberry Region last September 23, where it killed three cattle.
Since then, over 100 cattle have been infected with 22 recorded deaths.
Speaking with The Nation, Adeloye said a lot of airborne diseases could emerge with the entry of the North east trade wind, which would affect animals and cause huge losses to the industry.
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Given the supply of cattle and sheep from Niger to Nigeria, he called for measures to prevent the spread of the disease through the land borders.
For this reason, he urged the government to take the issue of smuggling cows seriously,especially those coming through unmanned border points.
According to him, new temperature occasioned by climate change foster new diseases and that animals coming from the borders travel with them.
He explained that diseases travel through vector movement, such as virus.
He added that due to a warmer climate, a lot of animals are vulnerable to them and pose a growing threat for animal health.
To contain it, he called for increased cross border collaboration toprevent the outbreak of diseases.
He urged the veterinary authorities to be in touch with the livestock industry stakeholders to identity priority disease agents to control them.
Adeloye said a more holistic approach to managing disease threats was needed.
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