Zamfara State is once again battling a deadly cholera outbreak that has claimed at least seven lives and left nearly 200 residents hospitalized across Gumi and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas.
The outbreak, which began around August 10, 2025, is spreading rapidly, with residents fearing the death toll could rise amid what they describe as the state government’s inadequate response.
Speaking to journalists, Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, a member of the House of Representatives for Gumi/Bukkuyum constituency, described the situation as “alarming.”
According to him, Bukkuyum alone has recorded 157 admissions, Unguwar Gamji in Gumi has 24 cases, and Birnin Waje has already confirmed seven deaths.
“This situation is worsening daily.
In my constituency, people are dying silently while government support is nowhere to be found. Communities and volunteers are left to fend for themselves, while Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is the only organization providing any meaningful assistance,” Gumi lamented.
Health workers traced the outbreak to unsanitary conditions in displacement camps, where flooding has forced displaced persons to defecate in open drains, contaminating water sources and accelerating the spread of the disease.
For many residents, the tragedy has fueled frustration with Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration, which they accuse of neglect and misplaced priorities.
“Governor Dauda is busy hosting PDP big men in Gusau, dining and smiling in expensive babarigas, while our children drink from muddy ponds,” a villager in Bukkuyum told SaharaReporters.
Another resident from Gumi added: “We bury our loved ones every week from cholera, yet the governor lives like a king.
They only come during campaigns with bags of rice and promises. Now, we are left to die.”
Local witnesses confirmed that families are drinking from contaminated flooded pits, while under-resourced clinics have run out of basic oral rehydration salts.
Repeated Outbreaks, National Failure
Zamfara is no stranger to cholera. Year after year, the rainy season brings deadly flare-ups due to poor sanitation and unsafe water supplies.
In 2021, Nigeria recorded over 3,600 cholera deaths across 30 states, with Bauchi, Kano, and Borno topping the fatality list.
In 2024, outbreaks in Yobe and Katsina killed dozens, underscoring the government’s long-standing failure to implement preventive health measures.
MSF recently warned that more than 1,500 suspected cholera cases were already reported in Zamfara between mid-June and early August 2025.
Dr. David Kizito, MSF’s Head of Mission in Nigeria, described the state as a “perfect storm” for cholera, citing flooding, insecurity, displacement, and lack of clean water as key drivers.
Despite the escalating crisis, Zamfara officials have remained largely silent.
When contacted, Governor Lawal’s spokesperson Suleiman Bala referred inquiries to the state Commissioner for Health, Nafisa Maradun.
She did not respond to repeated calls or messages.
For residents, the silence is damning. As one local health worker put it:
“People are defecating openly, children are drinking the same water, and the governor has not even sent a delegation. But he finds time to change outfits three times a day for political events.”
With conditions deteriorating, health experts warn that without swift intervention, Zamfara could face one of its deadliest cholera seasons yet.
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