AFRICAN SWINE FEVER HITS OKE ARO, ONE OF WEST AFRICA’S BIGGEST PIG FARM
Oke Aro farm, one of West Africa’s biggest pig farm, has been hit with the African swine fever.
The African swine fever is a highly contagious haemorrhagic viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the disease has up to a 100% fatality rate and can kill pigs within a few days, but reports say the virus is not harmful to humans.
Experts say although Humans are not affected by the disease, they can be one of the most active carriers.
Photo credit: Twitter user @farmer_naija
Oke Aro pig farm is a co-operative settlement managed by the Lagos State government, and it provides a source of livelihood to more than 3,000 people.
It is located on land measuring several hundreds of acres of land in a town called Giwa, Oke Aro, between the Lagos and Ogun state border in Nigeria.
According to sources, the disease has killed hundreds of thousands of pigs, and billions of naira have been lost since the outbreak.
A source said some farmers had lost their lives, while others are currently hospitalised because of their sudden loss of fortune.
Photo credit: Twitter user @farmer_naija
Another source told the BBC that over 99% of the pigs on the farm had been affected.
Jide Lawal, The public relations officer for Lagos State’s agricultural ministry, Jide Lawal told the BBC that the State government had sent a team to disinfect the farm to reduce the infection.
He added that efforts had been made to show the farmers how to protect their pigs.
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