Posted by Chinenye on Fri 26th Jun, 2026 - tori.ng
A major scientific investigation into a long-standing kidney disease affecting communities in Yobe State is reportedly nearing completion, raising hopes for long-awaited answers.
(Bukar Maina. Photo Credit; Facebook/Ali Ibrahim Abbas)
The lead investigator into a mysterious kidney disease affecting communities in Yobe State, Professor Mahmoud Bukar Maina, has announced that findings from the long-awaited study are expected within the next few months.
Maina, who also serves as Director of the Biomedical Research and Training Centre, BioRTC, at Yobe State University, made this known on Thursday when he led a team of international researchers on a courtesy visit to Governor Mai Mala Buni at the Government House, Damaturu.
He disclosed that the study, aimed at uncovering the causes of the kidney disease that has claimed many lives in parts of the state, had reached an advanced stage.
"The research is almost complete. We expect the findings to be ready within the next few months and they will provide valuable insights into addressing kidney-related health challenges in the region."
He said, adding that all necessary experiments and investigations had been conducted, particularly in relation to Bade Local Government Area where the disease has been most devastating.
Maina also highlighted the establishment of a permanent BioRTC facility at Yobe State University as a significant milestone, noting that the centre has trained more than 1,000 professionals, researchers, academics, and students through workshops, fellowships, summer schools, and specialised programmes since its inception.
He said the centre was set up to develop a new generation of scientists with skills spanning health, biomedical sciences, artificial intelligence, and computational research.
The visiting researchers, drawn from the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Japan, France, Switzerland, Spain, and several African countries, were in Yobe to assess the BioRTC facility and support youth training in science, research, and innovation.
Representing Governor Buni at the event, Deputy Governor Idi Barde Gubana commended Maina and the BioRTC team for their contributions to scientific development in the state, describing the centre as a major milestone that had positioned Yobe as an emerging hub for biomedical research in Nigeria and across Africa.
"It is our hope and prayer that the BioRTC will successfully address the chronic kidney disease problem, especially in the northern part of Yobe State," he said.
One of the visiting scholars, Professor Miguel Maravall of the United Kingdom, praised the Yobe State Government for creating an enabling environment for scientific research, expressing admiration for the level of commitment to research and education on display.
The kidney disease affecting communities in Bade Local Government Area and surrounding areas, including Gashua and Jakusko within the Komadugu-Yobe Basin, has remained a major public health concern for decades, with high rates of kidney failure resulting in significant illness and d£ath over the years.