(Plateau Map. Photo by THISDAYLIVE)
A pastor serving as a missionary in Plateau State has d!ed following a snakebite sustained whilst working in Boltim village, Gamakai District of Langtang South Local Government Area.
Rev Nankur Peter Kundul, affiliated with the Church of Christ in Nations, was deployed to the community for missionary work.
A colleague pastor reported the incident on a Christian media platform on Monday, noting that the mission field where Kundul served had been plagued by venomous snakes responsible for multiple fatalities in the area.
According to the report, at least two other Christians had perished from snakebites within the preceding week, with Kundul’s d£ath occurring at Sabon Gida Clinic.
The colleague emphasised that Gamakai functions as an agricultural centre for Langtang South, with residents relying heavily on farming for sustenance and economic livelihood.
Agricultural output from the region constitutes a critical food security resource across Langtang South, Plateau and the nation.
The escalating incidence of fatal snakebites represents not only a public health emergency but also a direct threat to agricultural productivity, as farmers may increasingly avoid venturing into farmland due to the hazard.
The colleague called for urgent intervention from state health authorities, stressing the need to investigate the rising venomous snake population in the area.
He urged that no further deaths should occur from preventable or treatable snakebites and characterised the situation as an emerging public health crisis demanding immediate, coordinated and decisive response from local, state and federal authorities.
He described Gamakai as warranting swift government action.
