A mysterious disease outbreak has pushed many poultry farmers in Maiduguri, Borno State, into financial crisis, with several struggling to recover their losses and keep their businesses afloat.
The outbreak, which started in February, led to the death of thousands of chickens despite farmers’ efforts to prevent the spread by improving hygiene and culling sick birds.
“I lost 32 chickens,” said Sadiq Bukar, owner of Ibn Bukar Farm Centre. “Despite culling and trying to save the rest, too many died.”
Mr. Bukar said the deaths began on the third day of the outbreak and continued until the 21st day, during which he lost 20 birds. After reporting the situation, his chickens were diagnosed and given a medication called Doxyjent 2020. While the treatment helped save some, it couldn’t stop 12 more chickens from dying between the 21st and 38th day of the outbreak.
“Doxyjent 2020 helped save some of the chickens, but in the end, I didn’t make any profit after covering all expenses including labour,” Mr. Bukar added.
Out of 15 small poultry farmers interviewed with Newsmen in Maiduguri on Saturday, 10 reported losing between 30% and 50% of their chickens from February to mid-March. Some of them fear they may not be able to continue their businesses as they can no longer pay back loans or suppliers they bought from on credit.
The financial pressure on the farmers worsened due to poor market sales. As chicken prices rose due to the outbreak and the cost of keeping birds safe, many consumers could no longer afford to buy them. Even during the usually profitable Sallah period, farmers were left with unsold chickens.
“People don’t understand the cost involved,” said Modu Gomna, a farmer at Bulunkutu Market. “They want to buy a chicken worth N14,000 for just N8,000. It’s frustrating.”
Another farmer, Musa Ismail, shared similar concerns. “I thought I’d make some money during Sallah, but the market was disappointing. People didn’t seem to have money, so I had to cut prices almost in half just to recover my investment.”
The Borno State Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development has not released any official statement about the outbreak. However, some farmers believe it might be bird flu, especially since the federal government confirmed outbreaks of bird flu in Kano, Rivers, and Plateau states around the same time.
Mohammad Jibrin, an animal scientist and owner of Desert Hatchery, said the symptoms do not clearly indicate bird flu. He stressed that only the relevant ministry can confirm the exact disease.
He also criticized the poor management practices among some farmers. “Many don’t take biosecurity seriously. They go into poultry farming without training, wear everyday clothes into the farms, feed their birds poorly, and skip medication schedules. Problems like this are bound to happen unless farming is done properly,” he warned.
On the other hand, veterinary doctor Umar Maina believes the symptoms point to Newcastle disease, a viral infection common in poultry.
As the outbreak continues to affect farmers, there is growing concern that without proper government support, training, and disease control, many poultry businesses in Maiduguri may not survive.
