The Federal Government has begun laboratory investigations into a flesh-eating disease that has killed seven people and infected dozens in Malabu, a remote community in Adamawa State.
Adesigbin Olufemi, Acting National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, confirmed the outbreak in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

“As of September 10, we had 67 confirmed cases, with eight patients undergoing surgical treatment at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH) in Yola,” Olufemi said. “These are undergoing surgical treatment with the support of the government.”
The illness, which begins as a boil before bursting and consuming flesh, sometimes destroying bone tissue, has left health authorities scrambling to identify its source. Olufemi said Buruli Ulcer, a neglected tropical disease, is the primary suspect but stressed that confirmation is still pending.
“This tropical disease is still under investigation for confirmation,” he explained. “Buruli Ulcer is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, a bacterium commonly found in swampy environments and around stagnant riverine ecosystems. Up till now, nobody is sure exactly how it is transmitted. Some theories suggest insects like water fleas or mosquitoes may inoculate individuals when they bite.”

He praised the quick intervention of the Adamawa State Government, which joined forces with federal health agencies and the non-governmental partner REDAID, present on the ground since September 14. “One of the things that is very important, and that’s what we are doing, is to continue to create awareness,” Olufemi said.
Patients with mild symptoms are being treated at local health centres, while severe cases requiring surgery have been transferred to MAUTH. But community response has been complicated by superstition. “Some residents initially blamed the disease on witchcraft, leading to delays in seeking proper treatment,” he noted.

Olufemi highlighted the isolation of Malabu, located two hours from Yola with poor road access, as another obstacle in the emergency response. He linked the outbreak to wider challenges of rural infrastructure, water supply, and sanitation. “People will not need to go to those rivers to fetch water if they have pipe-borne or borehole water around them. That way, they are less exposed,” he said.
He reassured the public that both the federal and state governments, with partners, are committed to managing the outbreak and reducing further spread.
The World Health Organisation recognises Buruli Ulcer as one of the world’s most neglected tropical diseases, mainly affecting poor, riverine communities with limited healthcare access.