Introduction Community based interventions have long been linked to tuberculosis control efforts. Effectively treated and cured patients living within their home communities are often the best advocates and may become the drivers of social mobilization to support control of tuberculosis.

Methods A descriptive cross-sectional knowledge, attitude, behavioral and practice (KABP) survey on tuberculosis was carried out in a rural Nigerian community. We used the multi-stage sampling method for subject selection. We administered an interview schedule consisting of a pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, together with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.

Results We applied the questionnaire to 1186 people in designated rural households. Most of the participants, (1154, 97.3%) had prior knowledge and awareness about tuberculosis as a disease, 612 (51.6%) considered tuberculosis a result of HIV/AIDS epidemics or malnutrition, and 451 (38%) believed that it can be cured by Western medicine. The unwillingness of respondents to relate with TB patients was generally high (97%, 1150), even where levels of awareness and knowledge were high.

Conclusion These results should be used to orient tuberculosis control programs, especially those aimed at mobilizing people for tuberculosis control and eradication.