The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Death

  • NCDC Reports 1,086 Confirmed Lassa Fever Cases, 259 Deaths

    NCDC Reports 1,086 Confirmed Lassa Fever Cases, 259 Deaths

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 1,086 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 259 deaths across 24 states in Nigeria in 2026.

    The figures were contained in the agency’s Lassa Fever Situation Report for epidemiological week 36, covering August 31 to September 6, 2026.

    According to the report, Nigeria recorded 12 new confirmed cases during the week, representing a decline from the 18 cases reported in the preceding epidemiological week.

    The new infections were recorded in Ondo, Edo and Kogi states.

    With 259 deaths among the 1,086 confirmed cases, the case fatality rate stood at 23.9 per cent.

    The NCDC noted that the current fatality rate remained higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

    The agency said confirmed cases had been reported in 118 local government areas across the 24 affected states.

    Five states, namely Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo, accounted for 87 per cent of all confirmed cases recorded in the country during the year.

    The report also identified people aged between 21 and 30 as the age group most affected by the disease.

    No new healthcare worker was reported to have contracted Lassa fever during epidemiological week 36, according to the NCDC.

    The latest figures represent an increase from the 1,074 confirmed cases and 258 deaths recorded at the end of epidemiological week 35.

    During week 35, Nigeria recorded 18 new confirmed cases in Ondo, Edo and Bauchi states, while the case fatality rate stood at 24 per cent.

    The NCDC said 86 per cent of the confirmed cases recorded by week 35 had come from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo states.

    The agency said it would continue surveillance and response activities across affected states, with particular attention to confirmed infections, fatalities and possible infections among healthcare workers.

    Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness that can be transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents. Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings without adequate infection prevention and control measures.

  • FG Suspends Niger NSCDC Commandant Over Deaths of Miners in Custody

    FG Suspends Niger NSCDC Commandant Over Deaths of Miners in Custody

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suberu Aniviye, following the deaths of suspected illegal miners held in the agency’s custody.

    The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, directed the immediate suspension and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

    The incident reportedly occurred at the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Minna, the Niger State capital, in the early hours of Thursday.

    The minister’s directive was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde.

    According to the statement, the deceased suspects were among suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations carried out in parts of the state on September 15 and 16, 2026.

    Tunji-Ojo described the development as unfortunate and said the suspension of the state commandant would remain in place while the investigation lasted.

    “It is an unfortunate incident, however, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended,” the minister said.

    He added that the government’s primary responsibility was to protect lives and maintain security.

    “We run a government whose ultimate priority is security of lives and we have worked to stay true to this,” he said.

    The minister appealed to residents to remain calm and obey the law while the investigation was conducted.

    He also expressed his condolences to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, as well as the families and relatives of those who died.

    Reports had indicated that at least 33 suspected illegal miners died while in custody, although the NSCDC has not officially confirmed the exact number of fatalities.

    The deaths had earlier prompted the NSCDC to establish an investigative panel to determine what led to the incident.

    The corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, announced the investigation in a statement on Thursday.

    He said the panel, headed by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, was tasked with carrying out a detailed inquiry into the deaths.

    The investigation is expected to examine the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their treatment while in custody, detention conditions, medical care provided and other factors that may have contributed to the fatalities.

    The NSCDC also warned against drawing conclusions about the cause of death before the completion of medical and laboratory examinations.

    The corps said claims linking the deaths to a particular disease had not been medically established and should therefore not be treated as confirmed.