The Federal Government has confirmed the first case of anthrax in Nigeria, stating that the disease was detected in a farm in Niger State.
Recall that On June 13, 2023 the Federal Government alerted the general public to the outbreak of anthrax disease in some neighbouring countries within the West African sub-region and advised Nigerians to desist from the consumption of hides, otherwise known as ponmo, at the moment.
The Federal Government had specifically stated that the disease was widespread in northern Ghana, bordering Burkina Faso and Togo, as it also promised to keep the Nigerians updated on developments about the disease.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development -FMARD stated that it was deeply concerned to announce the confirmation of an anthrax case in Niger State, Nigeria.
The FMARD stated that a rapid response team comprising of federal and states’ One Health Professional Team visited the farm to conduct preliminary investigations and collected samples from the sick animals. The statement, however, stated that the Federal Government, through the FMARD, in collaboration with the Niger State Government, had taken proactive measures to ensure the outbreak was controlled and contained quickly in Nigeria.