Lightning kills 4 persons, 9 cows in Bauchi

THE rain that was supposed to be a blessing turned to woes on Tuesday, when four persons and nine cows were killed by lightning in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Two women married to the same husband, one Mallam Saidu Bello, and their two children were killed at Soro, a village in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday on the incident, the husband of the deceased, Mallam Bello said the women were grinding corn with their babies on their backs, when they were struck dead.

The Area Development Officer of Ganjuwa East, Alhaji Mohammed Dabo, who confirmed the incident, said officials of the office had visited the scene of the incident and commiserated with the family of the deceased, adding that they had written a letter to inform both the state government and local government council of the sad development.

“When we heard about the tragic incident, we visited the house of the deceased and commiserated with the family, because the man has only these two wives both of whom lost their lives in the incident.

“We have written a letter to the Ganjuwa Local Government council and the state government for immediate attention,” Alhaji Dabo said.

In a similar development, lightning also killed nine cows, belonging to one Hardo Mohammed Musa, at Dungulbi village in Bauchi Local Government Area of the state.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists, Mohammed said his boys took the cows out for grazing, saying that, “but soon after, they ran back home to inform me about the incident and when I got there, nine out of the 10 cows had been struck by lightning and were lying dead.”

Meanwhile, no fewer than 10 persons have died of cholera in different parts of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, while scores of others are currently recuperating in different health centres and hospitals in the state.

Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that the cholera outbreak was first noticed in places like Angwan Rukuba, Jenta Mageri and Tudun-Wada last week. It later spread to other parts of the city, including Bassa and Shendam local government areas of the state.

The director of Primary Health Agency in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Elias Pede, who confirmed the cholera outbreak, said it was first noticed early last month, adding that the number of people admitted in hospitals have increased.

According to him, the ministry has been going round hospitals in the state and collecting samples so as to control the disease and advised people to mind what they eat and drink and to report any related cases to the nearest hospital.

“People should be mindful of their eating habit this time because it is a disease that comes from what you eat. And in case of stooling and excessive vomiting, patients should be given oral rehydration therapy and rushed to the nearest hospital for early cure.” Pede advised.

He said officials of the ministry had been dispatched to the affected local governments to prevent the disease from further spreading.

At the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, a nurse with the hospital who volunteered information on condition of anonymity said in one night, no fewer than 15 persons were admitted in the hospital for treatment on cholera.


Source: Tribune Nigeria