​Pig farmers across the Ikangba and Agoro axis in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State gathered on Wednesday morning, October 14, 2026, at the Ikangba Farm Settlement to protest catastrophic financial losses exceeding N5 billion caused by a devastating outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
​The epidemic, which began approximately two months ago, has wiped out thousands of livestock and threatened to collapse the region’s swine industry. Farmers from the community staged a peaceful protest at the farm cluster, displaying empty pens and calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun for immediate intervention, including financial compensation, soft loans, and subsidised inputs to rebuild their businesses.
​Speaking on behalf of the affected producers at the assembly, Mr. Ayodele, one of the lead farm operators in the settlement, disclosed that over 2,000 farmers have had their entire herds wiped out by the virus.
​”The outbreak began about two months ago, and over 2,000 farmers have lost their animals to this cruel disease,” Ayodele said. “I personally lost over N18 million; my pen houses are now completely empty. My neighbor lost over N30 million.
These were healthy pigs weighing over 300 kilograms each, sold for N2,500 and above per kilogram. Many of us funded these operations through bank loans, and several farmers are currently hospitalized due to the severe shock of these losses. We beg Governor Abiodun and President Tinubu to please come to our aid.”
​Another vocal spokesperson, Mrs. Adeola Oyeleye, highlighted the severe emotional and financial trauma gripping the farming community.
​”I personally lost over N10 million worth of investment, and I know individuals here who have lost upwards of N100 million to this swine fever outbreak,” Oyeleye stated. “We are completely overwhelmed. Our support request to the state and federal government includes direct compensation, low-interest soft loans, and emergency grants. While we are grateful that ASF is not a zoonotic disease and cannot infect humans, we desperately need government intervention to secure vaccines and help us restock our empty pens.”
​African Swine Fever is a highly contagious, severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs with mortality rates approaching 100 percent. While harmless to humans, its rapid spread through contact and contaminated materials has paralyzed local commercial operations.
​The farmers outlined key demands to prevent complete insolvency in the agricultural sector, some of the demands include; Swift disbursement of government compensation grants and soft loans to cushion losses exceeding N5 billion. Intervention with commercial banks and agricultural lenders to suspend debt recovery actions against affected farmers.
They demand that government Intensify federal livestock research into effective ASF vaccination and coordinated biosecurity measures across regional slaughterhouses and transport routes.
​As of Wednesday afternoon, representatives of the Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture have yet to release an official compensation package, though livestock welfare groups continue to urge state authorities to declare the Ikangba/Agoro cluster an agricultural disaster zone.
