The Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Project, in collaboration with the Kogi Ministry of Livestock Development, has launched a mass vaccination exercise against Transboundary Animal Diseases.
At a stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Lokoja on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Olufemi Bolarin, said the initiative aims to safeguard animal health, strengthen livestock productivity and enhance food security in the state.
The meeting brought together farmers, veterinarians, animal scientists, traditional rulers and security agencies to strategise on the vaccination campaign.
Bolarin urged farmers, cattle breeders and pastoralists to support the free vaccination drive.
“We have done it before, and we can do it again,” he said, referencing the state’s previous success in animal vaccination.
He assured that the vaccines are free and that the government would provide security for vaccinators, while also calling on communities to cooperate.
“We need your cooperation and support,” he added.
The State Project Coordinator of the Kogi L-PRES Project, Abdulkabir Otaru, said the intervention is part of a nationwide effort to tackle TADs, with Kogi as a key focus.
“We believe that by addressing this issue, we can enhance livestock productivity, commercialisation and the standard of living of farmers,” he said, stressing the need for collective action and strong coordination.
The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Abdulsalam Hadi, said the campaign targets diseases such as Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Newcastle Disease.
He commended the Federal Government for donating the vaccines and described the engagement as timely and strategic.
Dr Shaibu Egwu, Director of Veterinary Services at the ministry, said the state received 200,000 doses of CBPP vaccines, 3,000 doses of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines for cattle and 30,000 doses of Newcastle Disease vaccines for poultry.
He said the vaccines would be administered across livestock clusters in the state between February 18 and March 13, 2026.
Chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Kogi State Chapter, Dr Tolu Omotugba, said TADs lead to reduced production, increased mortality, trade restrictions and economic losses, noting that the exercise would also help reduce insecurity.
Felix Eneche of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science called for adequate welfare packages for vaccination workers due to the risks involved and urged livestock marketers and producers to cooperate.
The Commander of Agro-Rangers, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Emmanuel Bayode, advised herders and farmers to provide credible information to security agents to ensure safety during the exercise.
The Maigari of Lokoja, Ibrahim Gambo Kabir, represented by Musa Bala, pledged community support for the initiative.
Also speaking, Secretary of Miyetti Allah Association, Suleiman Abubakar, and Chairman of Livestock Farmers Clusters, Lokoja, Musa Ibrahim, assured stakeholders of adequate protection for vaccinators.
Participants stressed that the exercise would reduce animal mortality and improve productivity, urging the government to sustain security measures throughout the campaign.
