The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the Revised Comprehensive Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for the Bird Flu in Nigeria.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mahmood Abubakar, briefed State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister said that the poultry industry had grown to have a population of over 165 million birds worth about 1.6 trillion naira.

The minister said that bird flu, which was prevalent in Asia, was experienced for the first in Nigeria in 2006 and led to the loss of about 1.2 million birds and chickens.

He said this is a highly pathogenic viral infection that is so contagious and zoonotic, meaning it can go from animals to humans and can cause death and can cause sickness.

According to him, the previous policy was put together by experts back in 2005, in order to contain, quickly, any kind of outbreak of bird flu.

But since the growth of the sector there was the need to revise the policy and produce a new one that will conform to the current happenings in the industry.

Abubakar said that the poultry industry had grown to have a population of over 165 million birds worth about N1.6 trillion.

According to him, 70 percent of the industry is populated by rural dwellers.