Fear and anxiety have gripped Malabo community in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State as a strange and devastating ailment sweeps through the town, leaving residents in agony and despair.
The mysterious disease, which locals describe as starting like an ordinary boil before bursting open, gradually eats into the flesh, damages bones, and leaves victims with gaping, life-threatening wounds.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), distraught patients narrated harrowing experiences that have disrupted their lives and livelihoods.
Mrs. Phibi Sabo, one of the victims, painfully recalled her ordeal:
> “It started like a boil with pains, then got swollen and burst. Before I knew it, the flesh on my leg began decaying, damaging the bones and leaving me with unbearable pain. Now I live with an open wound that refuses to heal, despite hospital treatment. I don’t know what is happening to me,” she lamented.
Sabo pleaded for urgent government intervention, warning that the strange ailment was spreading and threatening the survival of the entire community.
> “Many of us can no longer work or fend for our families. Please, we need government support before our entire community is consumed by this disease,” she cried out.
Similarly, Malam Junaidu Adamu, who has battled the disease for over two months, said it began after he returned from his farm.
> “It started like a boil, then burst and spread until my flesh started rotting. I spend over N25,000 weekly on medications, but the condition keeps getting worse. My wife has stopped working to care for me and our children. This disease has destroyed my family’s livelihood,” he said.
Community leaders confirmed the growing crisis. Alhaji Aliyu Hammawa, the District Head of Malabo, revealed that no fewer than 30 people had been struck by the strange ailment.
He disclosed that eight victims are currently receiving intensive care at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, while others are being managed at the local health facility.
While commending the state government’s swift intervention, Hammawa urged for urgent investigation to identify the cause and contain the spread.
Confirming the outbreak, Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said 28 victims had been identified, but only eight agreed to undergo medical treatment.
He explained that the state government had fully sponsored their treatment at MAUTH, while samples had been collected and sent for histology tests.
> “We expect results within 10 days. Meanwhile, we strongly advise victims to accept medical treatment rather than rely on traditional remedies. Communities must immediately report unusual health conditions for proper diagnosis and referral,” Bashir said.
The unsettling outbreak has thrown Malabo into fear, with residents anxiously awaiting answers, as health experts race against time to unravel the mystery behind the flesh-eating ailment.
PIONEER NEWS 