Strange illness kills 38 in Abuja, residents panic

More than 38 people have died in strange circum­stances in Saburi 1, a slum settlement in the Dei-Dei area of Abuja. Before their death, they complain of headache or fever –

 A nurse, Sa­lome Maikalfi, who works in one of the private clinics there said the deaths more spiritual than medical
Some residents are insinuating that the gods were not happy because the chief allegedly sold their grave yard to people to build residential houses More than 38 people have been killed by a strange illness in Saburi 1, a slum settlement in the Dei-Dei axis of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory. The victims who died in strange circumstances were said to have complained of headache or fever. Daily Sun reports that they possi­bly took medication from the patent medicine dealers, and the next you will hear is that they have died. The residents were gripped with fear once again following the reported death of a 14-year-old girl identified as Mariam Mustapha, who died last weekend in similar circumstance. The people are worried because the cause of the death had not been made public.

According to a nurse, Sa­lome Maikalfi, who works in one of the private clinics there, the deaths were not or­dinary. She said: “What we hear is that somebody will complain of headache; they will go to a local drug dealer and buy medicine.
None of them went to the hospital, but, be­fore you knew it, the person would die within two days. “Most of the victims were said to have complained of seeing strange light rays or objects they could not de­scribe in the night before dy­ing.” Maikalfi added that the is­sue was more spiritual than medical.
People in the community are speculating that the gods were not happy because the chief allegedly sold their grave yard to people to build residential houses. One of the residents, Bless­ing Sunday, who operates a food kiosk said officials of the FCTA came and tested the water in the area and they are still waiting for the outcome. She said the population in the community has reduced as many people have left and those remaining are living in fear of what will happen next. Daily Sun paid a visit to the palace of the Dankaci Saburi 1, where Alhaji Muham­mad Yamwawo confirmed that the commu­nity recently recorded mul­tiple deaths.
He refused to comment on the allegation of sale of burial ground. Yamwawo called on the government to build a primary healthcare centre in the com­munity, saying they have had to make do with private clinics or go as far as Kubwa for medical treatment.