In a move to curb the spread of zoonotic diseases, the Oyo State Government has sealed 15 veterinary outlets and confiscated goods worth millions of naira for violating the provisions of the Oyo State Private Veterinary Premises and Veterinary Establishment (Regulation) Law, 2017.
The enforcement operation, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, followed routine inspections across the Ibadan metropolis.
It was revealed that the affected establishments had been operating without the mandatory registration of their veterinary premises—an outright breach of the 2017 law.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, speaking through the Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Olaoye Olakunle, said the action was necessary to protect animal health, ensure food safety, and safeguard public health.
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He stressed that the 2017 regulation mandates annual registration of all veterinary premises and practitioners with the state government, for effective monitoring and control.
This, he said, is vital in the fight against zoonotic disease transmission and in stamping out quackery in the sector.
Olaleye warned that any individual or establishment found contravening the law would face full legal sanctions, adding that the enforcement exercise would be continuous until full compliance is achieved across the state.
The Commissioner called on all private veterinary practitioners to regularise their operations by ensuring their premises are duly registered with the Ministry, as stipulated by law.
The enforcement team included Dr John Famoyin, Chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association; Dr Awoyele Adebayo, President of the Association of Private Veterinary Medical Practitioners, along with other key stakeholders in the veterinary profession.