By Mudi Mohammed
The Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has urged FCT residents to immediately vaccinate their dogs and cats following a rabies outbreak that has claimed two lives in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.
The Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Karnak Dandam, confirmed the incident on Wednesday in Abuja. He said eight cases were recorded between March and June 2026, with five in Gwagwalada and three in Kwali. Laboratory tests at the National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI Vom, confirmed all eight samples positive.
“Anywhere there is a dog and a cat, we will visit, vaccinate and give the owners a certificate of vaccination and license. That’s our plan.”
— Dr. Karnak Dandam, Director of Veterinary Services, FCTA
Dandam described rabies as a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted through the bite of an infected dog or cat.
In humans, early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and pain or tingling at the bite site, progressing to anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, and aggression. In dogs, signs include excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, aggression toward owners, fear of water, and paralysis, often leading to death within 10 days of clinical onset.
The director warned that rabies is fatal once symptoms appear in humans. He advised that the immediate response after a bite is to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water as first aid and to seek medical care without delay.
According to him, the secretariat carried out vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats across the FCT in December 2025 and January 2026, but the exercise was limited by a shortage of vaccine doses.
To contain further spread, the FCTA has intensified sensitization in all six area councils and is directing residents to take their pets to designated public and private veterinary clinics for vaccination and certification. Residents are also advised to confine vaccinated dogs and cats to prevent contact with stray or infected animals.
Dandam said the FCT Administration has procured additional vaccine doses and will soon commence a mass vaccination exercise in villages and towns across the territory to ensure all dogs and cats are covered.
He urged pet owners to watch for sudden behavioral changes, noting that a friendly dog that becomes withdrawn, apprehensive, or starts attacking without provocation could be showing early signs of rabies.
