Livestock Ministry Launches Anti-Tsetse Fly Intervention in Taraba, Sokoto States

News in brief:

-FG has begun insecticide spraying and trap deployment to curb tsetse flies and ectoparasites in Taraba and Sokoto.

-The intervention targets livestock disease control, farmer livelihoods, and improved productivity.

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development recently commenced a coordinated intervention to control tsetse flies and other ectoparasites affecting cattle in Taraba and Sokoto States, as part of broader efforts to improve livestock health, productivity, and sector-wide transformation.

The exercise, which started on Monday, 22 December 2025, involves the spraying of approved insecticides on cattle and in strategic grazing locations to reduce disease vectors and limit the spread of infections.

Leading the intervention in Jalingo, Taraba State, the State Coordinator and Federal Epidemiology Officer, Dr Emmanuel Yarai, said the first phase of the programme covers Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau, and Wukari Local Government Areas.

He disclosed that plans are already in place to extend the exercise to the remaining 12 local government areas to ensure full state-wide coverage.

Tackling Trypanosomiasis Transmission

Dr Yarai explained that the tsetse fly transmits trypanosomiasis, a disease endemic in many parts of Africa that causes severe economic losses for livestock farmers.

According to him, the disease attacks the blood and lymphatic systems of infected animals, leading to fever, weight loss, anaemia, paralysis, and in severe cases, death. He noted that while most cattle breeds are susceptible, West African N’dama cattle possess a natural tolerance to the disease.

He added that the intervention also includes the deployment of biconical traps in strategic locations to sustain control efforts beyond the initial spraying exercise.

Sokoto Farmers Support the Identification of Hotspots

In Sokoto State, the Ministry’s Coordinator, Dr Umar Tukur Argungu, said farmers played a key role in identifying grazing areas with high tsetse fly prevalence.

He explained that traps would be installed in affected locations to confirm infestation levels and guide further control measures.

Dr Argungu added that the intervention team visited major livestock markets, including Kasuwan Kara in Sokoto North and Bodinga Local Government Areas, where engagements were held with farmers and traders.

Traders’ Concerns Documented

He further disclosed that issues raised by livestock traders during the visits would be properly 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.

Losses Linked to Infestation

Chairman of the Cattle Traders Association in Sokoto State, Alhaji Bashir Bello, said traders recorded heavy losses during the last rainy season due to skin rashes associated with 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 other major livestock diseases affecting farmers, including foot-and-mouth disease and peste des petits ruminants, and pledged that the association would ensure prompt reporting of outbreaks to enable timely intervention by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.