FG, FAO step up efforts to curb bird flu, tighten livestock movement controls

The federal government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have called for stricter controls on animal movement, improved disease surveillance and compliance with biosecurity measures to curb the spread of avian influenza in Nigeria.

The call was made by the Head of the Department of Animal Health and Reproductive Services and National Programme Coordinator of the Avian Influenza Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Mitchell Alao, at a workshop on strengthening the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Thursday.

Alao, who represented the Federal Government, said effective monitoring and restriction of animal movement were critical to preventing infected birds from spreading the disease to unaffected locations.

He said the NAQS had a crucial role in enforcing movement restrictions during outbreaks, adding that surveillance, risk communication and engagement with stakeholders across the poultry value chain were necessary to contain the disease.

“The idea is to keep the disease in the location where it has occurred. It is basically like covering something with a blanket so that what is covered does not escape,” he said.

“The Quarantine Service is there to ensure that affected birds are not moved out of locations where an outbreak has occurred.”

Alao also called for stronger institutional capacity and collaboration between the quarantine service, security agencies and government institutions, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, state governments and local government authorities.

He said such partnerships would improve enforcement, regulatory compliance and coordination in responding to outbreaks across the country.

The coordinator disclosed that the $350,000 intervention grant provided by FAO through its Technical Cooperation Programme for Emergencies to support avian influenza control in Nigeria was expected to end in April 2027.