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Kogi Vet Association Wants 2 Vets Per LGA To Tackle Rabies
By Stephen Adeleye
The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Kogi chapter, has urged the state government to employ at least two veterinary doctors per Local Government Area (LGA).
The association said the move would strengthen rabies surveillance and One Health response in the state.
The state Chairman of the association, Dr Tolu Omotugba, made the call on Monday in Lokoja at a news conference to commemorate the 2026 World Rabies Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Rabies Day is celebrated annually on Sept. 28.
The aim is to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease.
Omotugba said Kogi, with 21 LGAs, large dog population used for hunting and security, and porous borders, could not afford to be complacent on rabies.
According to him, rabies is a disease that is 99.9 per cent fatal once symptoms appear, but 100 per cent preventable.
He said, though veterinary officers in the state civil service were putting in their best, their number was grossly inadequate.
“We have about 28 to 30 veterinary officers currently in the Kogi civil service, which is not enough. Some LGAs do not even have the presence of a veterinary officer.
“Most states in the federation have more than 50 to 100, some about 200.
“We are suggesting a minimum of two per LGA so that they can, at least, do disease reporting, especially for diseases of public health concern.
‘’If the state can do well, they can have as much as five per LGA,” he said.
He expressed concern over the high number of unreported rabies cases in Kogi and across the country.
Omotugba recalled that in 2025, Bassa LGA in Plateau lose 12 lives, including a family of three, to rabies, adding that “a single dog bite, a single scratch, can end a family.”
He said the 2026 theme, “Stronger Together”, underscored the need for collaboration among Ministries of Health, Environment, Education and Livestock, veterinary and medical doctors, environmental health officers and community leaders.
He commended the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development led by Minister Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for its vaccination target.
According to him, the ministry is targeting 70 per cent annual dog vaccination and zero human deaths from rabies by 2030.
The chairman noted that 26,000 doses were deployed to eight high-risk states in 2025, while the Federal Capital Territory recently flagged off vaccination of 20,000 dogs.
Omotugba decried that Kogi still relied on outdated laws, citing the Rabies Act of 1935 and the Dogs Law, Cap 36 of Northern Nigeria.
‘’The law provides for seizure and licensing, but lack modern population management and enforcement, ‘’ he said.
He said that less than five per cent of dogs in Lokoja, Okene, Anyigba and Ankpa were licensed.
“We cannot eliminate a 21st-century disease with 20th-century laws,” he said.
He therefore, urged the state government to domesticate the Kogi State Rabies Control and Responsible Dog Ownership Bill 2026 to make annual vaccination compulsory.
Omotugba also called for the establishment of a dog registry, stipulate penalties for stray dogs and replace shooting on sight with humane management.
He also called for a dedicated budget line for rabies under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project to support free mass vaccination.
He recommended sensitisation and post-exposure prophylaxis in state hospitals, and creation of a Kogi One Health Rabies Task Force.
“Let Kogi lead as the first state in North-Central to be rabies-free,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Esenvosa Izah
Nigeria’s data protection framework is attracting international interest, with Sri Lanka’s Data Protection Authority undertaking a study tour of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to learn from its regulatory experience as the South Asian country strengthens its own data protection ecosystem.
The two-day study tour, themed “Institutional Development, Regulatory Operations and Emerging Priorities in Data Protection,” focuses on Nigeria’s institutional development, regulatory operations and emerging priorities in personal data protection.
Dimuth Bhashitha Atapattu, Director-General of Sri Lanka’s Data Protection Authority, says the country selected Nigeria because of the progress made by the NDPC within a relatively short period.
The visit provides an opportunity for both countries to exchange experiences on building data protection institutions, implementing regulatory frameworks and addressing emerging challenges associated with the processing of personal information.
Spotlight on Nigeria data protection framework
Atapattu explains that Sri Lanka is working to strengthen its data protection ecosystem, prompting the decision to undertake a study tour of the African region, particularly Nigeria.
He adds that the delegation intends to transfer the knowledge gained during the engagement to Sri Lanka and strengthen its partnership with the NDPC.
The visit provides an opportunity for both countries to exchange experiences on building data protection institutions, implementing regulatory frameworks and addressing emerging challenges associated with the processing of personal information.
Welcoming the delegation virtually, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, outlines the Commission’s evolution, including the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olatunji also highlights the pillars of the Commission’s strategic roadmap and its adoption of a public-private partnership (PPP) model as part of its institutional development and regulatory operations.
He emphasises the impact of Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem on data subjects, data controllers and the wider economy, while highlighting the Commission’s partnerships with other data protection authorities, development partners and stakeholders.
According to Olatunji, the Sri Lankan delegation is the 18th country to visit the NDPC for knowledge exchange.
He assures the delegation of the Commission’s continued support and partnership as Sri Lanka advances its data protection ecosystem.
The engagement reflects the role of international cooperation in strengthening regulatory institutions as countries respond to growing demands for personal data protection in an increasingly digital economy.
For Nigeria, the exchange offers an opportunity to share its regulatory experience with another jurisdiction while learning from the approaches being developed elsewhere.
Ida S. Mboob, Senior Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank Group, commends the NDPC under Olatunji’s leadership for the progress made in developing Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem.
Mboob reflects on the Commission’s journey from its early stages to achieving global recognition within a relatively short period.
The World Bank also receives acknowledgement from Olatunji for supporting the Commission and facilitating the study tour, highlighting the role of development partners in promoting institutional development and international knowledge exchange.
Nigeria’s data protection framework is anchored by the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, which provides the statutory basis for the country’s data protection regulatory system.
The NDPC’s engagement with Sri Lanka comes as data protection authorities face the task of safeguarding individuals’ personal information while supporting organisations that collect, process and use data for business and public services.
Although the study tour is intended to help Sri Lanka strengthen its data protection ecosystem, the specific Nigerian policies or regulatory practices the country may adopt have not been identified in the information released about the visit.
The two-day engagement nevertheless underscores the importance of cooperation between regulators in developing institutional capacity and responding to emerging data protection priorities across different jurisdictions.
For the NDPC, hosting the Sri Lankan delegation adds to its international knowledge-exchange engagements, while Sri Lanka is seeking lessons to support the development of its own regulatory ecosystem.
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