The Federal Government has raised concern over the rapid spread of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, a deadly cattle disease, revealing that more than 17 states have been affected with 131 outbreaks officially recorded.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Technical Working Group on CBPP elimination in Abuja, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said the disease poses a serious threat to the livestock sector but can be eradicated with sustained efforts.
He noted that the scale of the outbreaks underscores the severe economic impact of the disease, warning that infections can wipe out entire herds.
Maiha called for strengthened surveillance, widespread vaccination, and rapid response measures to curb its spread.
Addressing members of the technical working group, the minister urged them to develop a robust and effective framework for elimination, stressing that economic losses associated with CBPP are significant and that efforts must be intensified to prevent further spread across the country.
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is a highly infectious respiratory disease affecting cattle and water buffalo. It is caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides and is characterised by severe pneumonia, fever, and mortality rates of up to 50 percent.
The disease spreads mainly through inhalation of droplets from infected animals and remains endemic in many parts of Africa. Control measures typically include vaccination, quarantine, and restrictions on the movement of livestock.
