An outbreak of bird flu has been reported with an estimated population of 107,807 birds, in farms across three local government areas in Kaduna.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ibrahim Hussaini, during a stakeholders’ meeting with the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) on Tuesday, said the affected farms were located in Chikun, Igabi and Lere local government areas.

Represented by Pakachi Zakariya, the director, Veterinary and Livestock Services, in the ministry, Mr Hussaini said the tests were conducted by the National Research Veterinary Institute and were positive to highly pathogenic AI.

He added that the three farms had been depopulated, decontaminated, and awaiting the result of the fourth farm as efforts were in place to contain the situation.

“We have discovered that wild birds are the primary hosts of Avian Influenza. We suspect that these wild birds may have gotten in contact with some birds in the poultry and that may have been the genesis of the outbreak,” he stated.

The commissioner advised all farmers in Kaduna not to be afraid of losses as there is a compensation policy for poultry farmers.

Abel Williams, the deputy director of the service, mentioned that the first outbreak was confirmed in Kaiaga in the Lere LGA, with a stock of 5,000 with a mortality of 1,000 birds.

The second case was confirmed on January 6 in the federal housing estate in Gonin Gora, Chikun LGA with a stock of 1,807 birds with a mortality of 150 birds.

He disclosed that the third case was on January 7,  at Magaje memorial farms in Maraban Jos of Igabi LGA, with a stock size of 82,000 birds with a death rate of 32,000 birds.

Mr Williams added that on January 15, another case was recorded in Sutawa in Lere LGA with 14,000 stocks of birds with a death rate of 4,000.

(NAN)