At least eight people have died and more than 200 others have been infected following a cholera outbreak in Bukkuyum district of Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, residents and local officials confirmed on Thursday.
The outbreak has spread across 11 rural communities, including Nasarawa-Burkullu, Gurusu, and Adabka, amid poor access to healthcare and worsening insecurity. Cholera, a water-borne disease caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation, remains a recurring health challenge in Nigeria.
Local leaders say many patients are being treated at home due to limited health facilities. Gurusu village head, Muhammad Jibci, reported 21 people admitted in his community, with three deaths linked to delays in reaching Nasarawa General Hospital. Another resident, Ya’u Umar, said 53 infections were recorded in his village alone, lamenting the absence of medicine and the threat of bandits blocking access to hospitals.
Zamfara, already grappling with violent attacks and abductions by armed groups, faces heightened risks as insecurity further limits medical access and humanitarian support.
Federal lawmaker Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi has called on the state government and international aid organisations to act urgently. “Any delay will cost more lives, especially among women and children,” he warned, urging the deployment of emergency response teams and treatment centres.
State health authorities have yet to release an official statement, even as concerns grow over the possible spread of the disease.
