Abuja: The cholera outbreak in Nigeria has spread across Bukkuyum district of Zamfara state, killing at least eight people and infecting over 200 across 11 rural communities. Local residents and officials have confirmed that poor access to healthcare and insecurity have worsened the situation.
Cholera, a water-borne disease, has been a recurrent public health challenge in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas and informal urban settlements where shortages of clean water remain common. Villages such as Nasarawa-Burkullu, Gurusu, and Adabka have been among the hardest hit, with many patients treated at home due to a lack of functional primary healthcare centres.
Community leaders have reported deaths caused by delays in reaching hospitals. Muhammad Jibci, village head of Gurusu, stated that three patients died before arriving at Nasarawa General Hospital. 53 people had been infected and warned that the absence of medicines, intravenous fluids, and the threat of armed groups preventing travel to urban centres had left many in danger.
Zamfara has become the epicentre of violent attacks by armed groups known locally as bandits. The increasing violence has made farming and travel highly dangerous, with gangs frequently kidnapping villagers and travellers for ransom. This insecurity has further restricted access to medical facilities, leaving rural communities vulnerable to outbreaks.
Federal lawmaker Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi has urged immediate intervention from the Zamfara government and international NGOs. He said that any delay would lead to more deaths, especially among women and children, and called for the urgent establishment of emergency response teams and cholera treatment centres.
As of now, Zamfara state health authorities have not issued an official statement on the outbreak. With healthcare systems strained and insecurity persisting, humanitarian groups have warned that the spread of cholera could accelerate unless swift action is taken.
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