Residents of Gashua, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State, have continued to express concern over the persistent deaths linked to Chronic Kidney Disease, a situation that has devastated families and raised serious public health questions across the community.

The residents lamented that the disease, which has plagued Gashua and surrounding communities for decades, continues to claim lives despite repeated appeals to authorities for intervention.

As a result, many have described CKD as a “silent killer” that often goes undetected until it reaches an advanced stage.

Speaking with Arewa PUNCH, Hamza Muhammad Tasi’u, a resident of Gashua, said the disease has taken the lives of several people close to him.

“I can tell you that kidney disease has killed many people who were very close to me. Some were my relatives, some were neighbours. The most painful part is that many of them were still young and active.

“Once the sickness starts, families struggle to get treatment because we don’t have proper facilities here, and many can not afford to travel outside the town for dialysis.”

Another resident, Yusuf Ibrahim, said fear has gripped the community as cases continue to rise.

“Almost every family in Gashua has a story to tell that is related to kidney disease. You hear someone is sick today, and within a short time, you hear that the person has died. We don’t know the exact cause, and that is what scares us. People are now afraid of what they eat and drink.”

Arewa PUNCH reports further that recent scientific findings appear to support residents’ fears. A preliminary report from a Chronic Kidney Disease research conducted in Yobe State has revealed the presence of heavy metals in water samples consumed by residents of Gashua town and other riverine communities.

The Lead Researcher and Director of the Biomedical Research and Training Centre, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Prof. Mahmoud Maina disclosed that metals such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic were detected in water samples collected from affected areas.

According to Maina, these metals are not supposed to be present in the environment under normal conditions and are known to be potential triggers of kidney disease.

“If you find these metals close to your environment, then know that they can result in not only kidney disease but also other conditions like cancer and dementia,” he said.

Our correspondent gathered that Jakusko and other communities along the Yobe River have been severely affected by renal failure for decades while also recording high mortality and morbidity rates.

Prof. Maina, who also serves as Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Science, Research and Innovation, explained that the research further revealed that CKD cases in the area were significantly driven by known medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

He added that fishermen were disproportionately affected, possibly due to prolonged exposure to contaminated water.

Aisha Bukar, who lost her husband to kidney disease, said the findings confirmed what many residents had long suspected.

“We have always believed something was wrong with our water. My husband was a fisherman, and he spent most of his life in the river. When he fell sick, we didn’t understand why. Now hearing that metals were found in the water makes us angry because this could have been prevented.”

Another resident, Malam Sadiq Abdullahi, blamed poor healthcare infrastructure and the lack of early diagnosis for worsening the crisis.

“Even when people suspect kidney problems, there is nowhere to go for proper tests. By the time they are diagnosed, it is already too late. If the government had acted earlier, many of these deaths would have been avoided.”

Meanwhile, the BioRTC director revealed that the state government-sponsored research involved over 50 scientists from Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ghana, and other countries. The team collected more than 3,000 human and environmental samples, including blood, urine, food items, farm soil, river water, and borehole water.

Experts involved in the research included nephrologists, geologists, chemists, physicians, geneticists, and environmental scientists.

However, Prof. Maina has assured that a more detailed and comprehensive report will be released in January 2026.

Ibrahim Adamu, a youth leader in Gashua, called on the authorities to act swiftly on the preliminary findings.

“This research should not just end as a paper work. The government must provide clean water, modern hospitals, dialysis centres, and awareness campaigns. If nothing is done, more people will continue to die, and Gashua will remain a place of mourning.”

Our correspondent further reports that not a few residents have collectively appealed to the Yobe State Government, the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant agencies to urgently address the environmental and medical factors contributing to the high prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in the area.

When contacted, the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Muhammad Lawan Gana, said, “The government is making so much effort to address the kidney disease issue in Gashua and its environs. We are taking the matter very seriously because of its impact on the health of our people. The government has also singlehandedly sponsored organizations to conduct research to ascertain the cause of the kidney disease and find long-term solutions.”

‎He added, “In addition to these efforts, the government has made kidney dialysis in Yobe free to ensure that patients can access treatment without financial burden. We are committed to supporting those affected and improving healthcare services in the state. (PUNCH)

Update news