Taraba Enforces Poultry Lockdown as Bird Flu Outbreak Sparks Urgent Response

A swift and decisive move has followed a troubling health alert in Taraba State, as authorities announced an immediate ban on the movement of poultry and poultry products in and out of Ibi and Wukari Local Government Areas. The measure comes after the confirmation of a deadly outbreak of Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu, which has already claimed large numbers of birds and poses a looming threat to public health.

Source:businessday

Announcing the development in Jalingo, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Professor Nicholas Namessan, said the government acted without delay after reports from Jubu village in Wukari revealed unusual bird deaths. Laboratory results later confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic strain of the virus, prompting the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria to officially declare Taraba bird flu positive.

To contain the outbreak, authorities have expanded the state’s rapid response team and imposed a total lockdown on poultry movement from Jubu, Tapare, and Yamani areas. Live bird markets in Doruwa, Bantaje, and Yamani have also been shut down. Residents have been warned against handling or eating sick birds due to the zoonotic nature of the virus, which can spread to humans.

Namessan assured that the government’s prompt intervention aims to halt the disease’s spread and safeguard both livelihoods and lives. He noted that the ban covers all species of birds—from chickens and ducks to guinea fowl and ostriches—until the situation is fully under control.

Meanwhile, the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has thrown its weight behind the ongoing Measles-Rubella vaccination drive in Taraba and across Nigeria. The Monarch of Ibi, Alhaji Abubakar Sahilu Danbawuro III, urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated, emphasizing that protecting young lives from preventable diseases remains a shared responsibility.