The Federal Government yesterday denounced media reports that bird flu attacked Obasanjo’s farm in Otta, Ogun State.   In a press statement made available to Vanguard, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture described the publication in a national daily, (not Vanguard) as false noting that the write-up, captioned “Bird flu hits Obasanjo’s Otta farm,” has since been found to be a false alarm, misleading assertion and an attempt to exaggerate the bird flu outbreaks within the nation to set off undue panic.

The statement, signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said following the publication which claimed that bird flu attacked Obasanjo’s far; he immediately dispatched the Federal Director of Veterinary Services to ascertain the facts on ground.

He also contacted the Commissioner of Agriculture of Ogun State, Ronke Sokefun, to get the staff of the Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture to verify the veracity of the said publication.

“Based on thorough investigation of the published outbreak, which did not emanate from any of the official channels of bird flu reporting, it has been found that no such outbreak occurred. It is hereby stated categorically, for the benefit of the public, that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of agriculture in Ogun State have dismissed the said publication as false.

“Although Ogun State is one of the states with reported cases of bird flu, the Federal and state veterinary authorities have ensured that the four farms affected in the state, which did not include Obasanjo’s farm, were swiftly quarantined, depopulated and decontaminated as soon as the infection was confirmed. Surveillance of farms and live bird markets in the state for the disease has also been intensified with on-going advocacy and sensitisation of all stakeholders in the state. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has been paying cash compensations to poultry farmers whose farms were depopulated.”We are fully on top of the situation and there is absolutely no cause for alarm. These are simply fabricated stories to scare the public and undermine our bold efforts to stamp out the bird flu”.