The Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Professor Saad Ahmed, has revealed that Abuja-based singer Nanyah Nwangene could not be saved after a cobra bite because she arrived at the hospital too late.
Speaking on Saturday during the 2026 budget defence session of the Senate Committee on Health, Professor Ahmed said Nwangene reached FMC Jabi over two hours after the bite, by which time the venom had already caused severe systemic damage.
Contrary to social media claims, the CMD confirmed that two doses of anti-venom were administered promptly. “She received the first dose immediately, followed by a second. But the venom had already spread. Cobra bites are extremely dangerous, and minutes matter. Anti-venom works best within 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.
Describing the tragedy as a wake-up call, Professor Ahmed praised FMC’s readiness, saying, “We had sufficient anti-venom, fully staffed emergency services, and our team was on alert. But timing is everything in snakebite cases.”
He also backed the inclusion of state and private hospitals in Nigeria’s Centralized Housemanship System, citing the shortage of spaces in federal hospitals. “Housemanship gives young doctors hands-on experience, but federal hospitals alone cannot accommodate all graduates. Including state hospitals would make the system more efficient,” he said.
Singer Nwangene Died Due to Late Arrival, Not Anti-Venom
