Rabies prevention efforts have intensified in Abuja as the FCTA begins a free two-week vaccination campaign targeting up to 20,000 dogs and cats across the territory.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced a major two-week rabies vaccination campaign targeting between 15,000 and 20,000 dogs and cats across the six area councils of the territory.
The free vaccination exercise, being implemented by the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, is aimed at containing the spread of rabies and preventing further outbreaks following confirmed cases in parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Mandate Secretary of the Secretariat, Mr Sulieman Ango, disclosed this while monitoring the exercise in Gwagwalada on Wednesday.
Ango said the intervention was designed to establish a strong protective barrier against rabies following cases initially recorded in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.
He said the FCTA had deployed more than 100 experienced veterinary officers to strategic locations to ensure effective implementation of the two-week campaign.
“We have the firm conviction that by vaccinating 15,000 to 20,000 dogs and cats, we are going to stop the spread of the virus,” Ango said.
He expressed confidence that the veterinary teams would achieve the target within the two-week timeframe, stressing that close field supervision was necessary to ensure effective coverage and accurate implementation.
The Mandate Secretary commended the veterinary team for its rapid response and containment efforts, noting that authorities had not recorded further cases outside the areas initially affected.
Ango also credited the support of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for enabling the secretariat to mobilise resources quickly and respond to the public health threat.
He appealed to residents across the FCT to remain calm and cooperate with veterinary personnel conducting the vaccination exercise.
According to him, the campaign will continue daily at designated centres across communities in the six area councils over the next two weeks.
The Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Karnak Dandam, said the territory-wide campaign was designed to provide broad protection against rabies across all 62 wards of the Federal Capital Territory.
Dandam described rabies as an extremely dangerous disease that becomes almost invariably fatal once clinical symptoms develop in humans, while stressing that it can be prevented through the vaccination of animals.
He said vaccination of dogs and cats remained one of the most effective measures for preventing the transmission of rabies to humans.
The veterinary director said more than 12,000 vaccine doses had initially been deployed, alongside veterinary personnel working to reach both owned and stray animals.
He expressed confidence that the available vaccine supply and operational arrangements would support the FCTA’s target during the two-week exercise.
Dandam also noted that some communities had taken early steps to protect animals following the initial outbreak reports.
According to him, Kuje Area Council had commenced local vaccination efforts, while Bassa community also partnered with the secretariat to support vaccination activities.
The current campaign follows the confirmation by the FCTA on July 15, 2026, of eight rabies cases and two related deaths in the territory.
Five of the confirmed cases were recorded in Gwagwalada Area Council, while three were reported in Kwali Area Council. The two fatalities were linked to bites from rabid dogs.
The outbreak prompted the FCTA to intensify public awareness and urge residents to vaccinate their dogs and cats, report suspected animal bites and cooperate with veterinary authorities.
Some beneficiaries of the ongoing exercise in Gwagwalada commended the administration for providing the vaccination free of charge.
A dog owner, Nathan Yusuf, expressed satisfaction after presenting his dogs for vaccination, while a local hunter, Bashir Yusuf, also welcomed the intervention after bringing three dogs for immunisation.
The FCTA said the free vaccination campaign forms part of broader efforts to protect residents, strengthen animal health services and prevent the further spread of rabies across Abuja.
With veterinary teams deployed across all six area councils, the administration is aiming to reach up to 20,000 animals within two weeks and establish wider protection against one of the world’s deadliest but preventable viral diseases.
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