Panic gripped parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday after the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) confirmed a rabies outbreak that has claimed two lives, warning residents to stay away from stray dogs and ensure their pets are vaccinated.
The two victims died after being bitten by rabid dogs in Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.
Confirming the development in Abuja, the Director of Veterinary Services, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Dr Karnak Dandam, disclosed that laboratory tests carried out by the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, confirmed eight positive rabies cases recorded between March and June.
According to him, five of the confirmed cases were reported in Gwagwalada, while three occurred in Kwali Area Council.
“There are eight confirmed cases of samples taken for testing at the National Reference Laboratory, NVRI, and they came out positive.
“The first samples we took to Vom this year were in March and the result came out the same month. The second samples were in early June and the result came out on June 15,” he said.
Dandam described rabies as a deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted through the bite of infected dogs or cats.
He warned that once symptoms appear in humans, survival is extremely rare.
According to him, early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and pain around the bite area, while advanced cases may lead to anxiety, confusion, hallucinations and severe neurological complications.
He advised anyone bitten by a dog to immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and plenty of water before rushing to the nearest health facility for urgent medical treatment.
The veterinary expert also urged pet owners to pay attention to sudden behavioural changes in their dogs and cats, warning that aggression, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, fear of water and unexplained attacks are common signs of rabies.
He explained that although the FCTA carried out anti-rabies vaccination campaigns in December 2025 and January 2026, vaccine shortages prevented many pets from being immunised.
To contain the outbreak, Dandam said the administration had intensified public awareness campaigns and directed residents to keep their vaccinated dogs and cats indoors to prevent contact with infected stray animals.
He also urged pet owners across the six area councils to take their animals to approved public and private veterinary clinics for vaccination and certification.
“Everybody has to restrict his or her dogs and cats so that they will not be roaming the streets and become exposed to infected rabid dogs,” he said.
Dandam disclosed that the FCTA had commenced plans to procure more vaccine doses ahead of a mass vaccination exercise that will cover all communities across the territory.
“Anywhere there is a dog and a cat, we will visit, vaccinate and give the owners a certificate of vaccination and licence. That’s our plan,” he said.
He appealed to residents to immediately report suspected rabies cases and dog bites to veterinary or medical authorities, stressing that early intervention remains the best chance of preventing fatalities.
