FG moves to tackle tsetse flies-associated diseases

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to curb the spread of tsetse flies and associated diseases with a coordinated intervention across the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, and Ogun states.

The initiative, led by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, targets grazing reserves, livestock settlements, and high-risk corridors as part of a broader strategy to safeguard livestock productivity and public health.

According to a statement signed on Monday by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon, the intervention combines surveillance, vector control, and community sensitisation, with officials deploying traps, fumigation, and insecticide treatments to reduce infestation levels.

Speaking through the statement, Deputy Director and Coordinator, Federal Epidemiology Unit, Ozoemena Uche, highlighted the public health risks posed by the vector.

He said, “Tsetse flies transmit trypanosomiasis, which affects both animals and humans. Our goal is to reduce its impact on livestock productivity and prevent associated public health risks.”

Also at the Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve, the manager, Mohammed Bala, raised concerns over other livestock diseases affecting herders.

He said, “We are also dealing with diseases like foot-and-mouth and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. We need sustained veterinary support and access to vaccines to protect our livestock.”

In Kogi State, where operations covered six local government areas, officials stressed the urgency of the intervention in protecting livelihoods.

Team Lead of the Tsetse Fly Surveillance and Ground Control Programme, Abdulkadiri Adaji, also added that, “The prevalence of tsetse flies continues to impact livestock production and livelihoods. This exercise is critical to generating data and implementing control measures that will reverse this trend,” adding that “diseases transmitted by animals can affect humans and so addressing this challenge is essential not just for agriculture, but for national health security.”

In Ogun State, the Federal Government said it adopted a combination of control methods to tackle the infestation.

Team Lead, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Gilbert Okoro, said, “We are deploying both physical and chemical control methods. Traps are used to capture the flies, while insecticides are applied to eliminate those not caught.

“This aligns with the One Health approach, ensuring that human health, animal health, and environmental safety are addressed together”, he added.

The ministry said the exercise forms part of a sustained national strategy to combat tsetse-borne diseases, improve livestock output, and protect rural livelihoods across the country.