Borno: 4 dead, 12 hospitalised as strange illness afflicts college students

At least four people have been confirmed dead and 12 hospitalised after students of the College of Education, Waka-Biu in Biu local government area of Borno state, returned from a Yankari Games Reserve field.

 Witnesses who spoke on phone from Biu stated that those that lost their lives complained of abdominal pains after which they vomited blood.

Initially, the death toll was put at nine; a figure which the Provost of the school, Mohammed Audu, said was incorrect.

Biu has been thrown into confusion in the last few days as the strange illness continues to affect students of the institution.

One of the dead students, Adama Dika, is the daughter of the caretaker chairman of Biu local government area, Usman Dika.

The apparently grieved caretaker chairman confirmed that his daughter was one of the students that died of the strange ailment.

He said she died on Saturday.

Borno state Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, who hails from Biu, has also confirmed the development.

Speaking through his press secretary, Bulama Alkali, the deputy governor said the Borno state  Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health have been directed to investigate the matter.

“For now, the deputy governor may not have ample information that will enable him make informed comment on the matter. However the deputy governor, just like any other parent, is very much saddened and concerned about the development,” Mr Alkali said.

The College Provost, Mr Audu said the students were on holiday at the time they embarked on the trip to Yankari.

He said the “school was closed for the season on the 10th August. But the students had to return to the campus to embark on the excursion because it was already planned and they had to go for the trip as part of their course work.”

He said the field trip was done in three batches, and the last batch that encountered the problem was “batch C” that travelled on August 21 and returned a day later.

The excursion has been an annual event for students, he said.

“When they returned, they left for their homes and there was no issue until Saturday 31st August when the daughter of Biu local government chairman, Dika died,” he said.

The provost said even when the female student died; her death was not immediately linked with the Yankari trip.

“People began to raise eyebrow some days after when three other students who were in the same trip batch died after exhibiting similar health conditions,” he said.

Mr Audu said tension began to mount when more of the students fell ill.

“Of the four that died, two were not our students but the commercial photographers that usually accompany the students on such trips,” he said.

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