Nigerian schoolgirl “runs mad” after eating cake baked with Indian hemp

A 17-year-old university undergraduate has landed in hospital after eating a piece of cake prepared with Indian hemp.

It is unclear whether, or not, the teenage student of Delta State University knew Bassey Aniakan – the male student who reportedly shared the cake to friends at a hostel in the school.

“After eating the cake, the female student started behaving abnormally and was rushed to the hospital for medical attention,” the police, who have taken Aniakan into custody, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Aniakan was arrested and he stated that he added Indian hemp to the ingredients used in baking the cake,” the police said.

The incident happened on Wednesday, September 2. Police said they got the report of the incident at about 9:00 p.m. that day.

“The girl is responding to treatment in hospital,” the police said adding that they were investigating the issue.

Possession, consumption and sale of Indian hemp is illegal under Nigerian law. However, its illegality has not dissuaded Nigerian students from inventing creative ways of consuming it.

A student of the University of Lagos told Newsroom his friends, on several occasions, cook Indian hemp alongside beans.

“Some of them even buy and eat cakes laced with the substance,” he said.