It has come to the notice of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, of the report of foot and mouth disease outbreak in Yobe State and cattle population published in the Daily Trust online newspaper dated 15th November 2018 as per attached document. We wish to state unequivocally that; the Foot and mouth disease laboratory of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, has not received any sample from the purported outbreak. The institute has therefore not confirmed the outbreak of FDM and CBPP in camels in Yobe State as presented in the report. The institute has also contacted the Director of Veterinary Services of Yobe State Dr. Garba Ibrahim to confirm the report and he denied the report and said the State has not made such report. The reputation and competence of the institute in disease diagnosis have been questioned by our international partners as seen in this statement: “The accuracy of this report observation of FMD causing serious clinical signs in camel is questionable; dromedary camels do not seem to be susceptible to FMD. What caused the clinical signs in camel in Fika remains to be investigated and established. The National Veterinary Research Institute is hereby requesting Daily Trust to publish this rejoinder which will present the stance of the institute as this report is concerned. Dr. David Shamaki, Director/Chief Executive, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State
