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By Lizzy Chirkpi
A mysterious disease that eats away human flesh and destroys bones has hit Adamawa State, infecting at least 28 persons.
The Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Suleiman Bashir confirmed the outbreak on Saturday, revealing that some victims are currently receiving treatment at Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola.
“Specimens from patients have been sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja for histology and further analysis. Results are expected in the next 10 days,” Bashir said. “We encourage victims to accept medical treatment rather than rely on traditional medicine.”
According to Bashir, while 28 victims have been identified, only eight have agreed to receive treatment, despite the state government covering the costs at MAUTH. He urged residents to report any strange health symptoms promptly to prevent further spread.
The outbreak is most severe in Malabu, a community in Fufore Local Government Area, where locals say the illness begins as a boil, bursts, and gradually eats into flesh, damaging the bones beneath.
One victim, Mrs. Phibi Sabo, recounted: “It started like a boil with pains, later got swollen and burst, then began to eat up the flesh on my leg, damaging the bones and causing serious pain. This has left me with an open wound. I can’t explain what is happening to me, though I have visited the hospital and received medication.”
Another resident, Junaidu Adamu, said he has spent over ₦200,000 on treatment in the last two months with little improvement.
The District Head of Malabu, Aliyu Hammawa, confirmed that the number of affected persons may exceed 30. “Eight patients are receiving care at MAUTH, while others remain in local facilities or their homes,” he said.
This is not the first time Nigeria has faced baffling or deadly outbreaks. From the 1996 Kano meningitis epidemic that led to the controversial Pfizer Trovan trial, to the 2010 Zamfara lead poisoning, 2015 Ondo skin disease outbreak, 2014 Ebola containment success, and the recurring Lassa fever and cholera epidemics, such health crises continue to expose the country’s fragile disease surveillance system.
The Adamawa outbreak, now under investigation, has reignited concerns over Nigeria’s preparedness to manage emerging diseases and the persistent reliance on traditional medicine in rural communities.