No fewer than 10 people were reported to have died and several others were hospitalised after drinking tea suspected to have been prepared with a local leaf popularly known as Zakami at a wedding ceremony in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria.

Reports say Zakami contains a psychoactive substance.

The incident happened on Tuesday in Sheka quarters of Kumbotso local government area of Kano State.

One of the witnesses, Sanusi Yahaya, who is also an elder brother of the bride, said the tea was suspected to be made with different types of drugs apart from the local leaf.

His words “They cooked the tea and they themselves didn’t even know the number and types of drugs that were inside to the extent that some had to abandon it but some of them insisted that they must drink from the tea, saying that their brains can take it.

“After drinking the tea, two people died, some have recovered while others are hospitalised,” he said.

He said it had become a norm for the young people in the area, especially drug addicts, to cook the tea during ceremonies and that they hide under that to take drugs.