Daniel Adaji
The Federal Government has launched a coordinated campaign to control tsetse fly and other ectoparasites affecting cattle in Taraba and Sokoto States, in a move aimed at improving livestock health, productivity and sector-wide transformation.
The intervention, initiated by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, commenced on Monday, December, with the spraying of insecticides on cattle farms and strategic locations to curb disease vectors and limit the spread of livestock infections.
In Taraba State, the campaign was flagged off in Jalingo by the State Coordinator and Federal Epidemiology Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Yarai, who said the first phase of the exercise covers Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau and Wukari Local Government Areas. He added that the programme would be extended to the remaining 12 LGAs to achieve statewide coverage.
Dr. Yarai explained that tsetse fly transmits trypanosomiasis, a highly endemic disease in Africa that causes significant economic losses to livestock farmers. He noted that the disease attacks the blood and lymphatic systems of infected animals, leading to fever, weight loss, anaemia, paralysis and, in severe cases, death.
According to him, while most cattle breeds are susceptible to the disease, West African N’dama cattle possess a natural tolerance. He added that biconical traps would also be deployed in strategic locations to sustain control efforts and further reduce infection rates beyond the initial spraying exercise.
In Sokoto State, the Ministry’s Coordinator, Dr. Umar Tukur Argungu, said livestock farmers assisted officials in identifying grazing areas with high tsetse fly prevalence. He noted that traps would be installed in affected locations to confirm and address the infestation.
Argungu said the team visited major livestock markets, including Kasuwan Kara in Sokoto North and Bodinga Local Government Areas, where engagements were held with farmers and traders. He added that concerns raised during the visits would be documented and forwarded for consideration in future government interventions.
The Director of Veterinary Services at the Sokoto State Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries, Alhaji Abubakar Maidabo, urged farmers to promptly report disease outbreaks, warning that some livestock diseases are zoonotic and pose risks to human health.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Cattle Traders Association in Sokoto State, Alhaji Bashir Bello, said traders recorded severe losses during the last rainy season due to skin rashes linked to tsetse fly infestation. He noted that the problem cuts across all 23 local government areas, particularly around hurumi and fadama zones between Sokoto South and Wamakko.
Bello also identified foot-and-mouth disease and peste des petits ruminants as other major livestock diseases affecting farmers, pledging that the association would ensure timely reporting of future outbreaks to enable swift intervention by the Ministry.
