Concerned Nigerians have taken to social media to express their fears over the alleged surge of unexplained deaths in Kano state, which reportedly rose to 640 in one week.
Despite a 7-day lockdown in the state, the restrictions were recently relaxed for a day by Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje in observance of Ramadan.
While many have linked the mysterious deaths to coronavirus, others have opposed the theory, suggesting that it could be due to other causes.
A health worker, speaking to The Cable, expressed suspicions that top government officials in the state may have been exposed to the virus.
“Things are in disarray here, and there is no well-structured response to COVID-19. The government is not communicating. They are not testing, and people are dying. We have had people coming here to the hospital, and when they died, they are immediately buried without taking samples for testing.
“This is not a rumour. People are dying. The suspended test centre was fumigated days ago, and normally it should take 48 hours but as of today, it has not been reopened. They said this is because of the shortage of reagents.”
A Facebook user based in Kano, Umar Khaleel, revealed that his grandmother was the 14th person to be buried at a cemetery in the state by 10am on Friday, April 25. He also disclosed that another family member died upon their return from his grandmother’s burial, becoming the 25th person to be interred that day at the cemetery.
Nigerian doctor and Twitter user, Dr Olufunmilayo, claimed that 640 people had died in Kano state in the last 7 days.
He tweeted:
Kano was quick to split the Emirate. Kano was quick to appoint new Emirs. Kano was quick to dismiss a sitting Emir. Kano was quick to exonerate the Governor despite video evidence of stealing money. 640 people have died in 7 days. Kano has no plan and is not quick to do anything. For those who think it is IMPOSSIBLE for Coronavirus to kill 640 people in one week in Kano, Let me remind you of a few things; Kano (and Nigeria as a whole) has not tested as much as it can/should, 813 people died today in UK- just today; Please NEVER underestimate this virus.
Journalist Mubarak Umar, based in Abuja and Kano, also tweeted about over 10 prominent people dying in Kano state in the last 24 hours.
He wrote:
Kano lost the following personalities today: •Prof Ibrahim Ayagi, CEO of Hassan Gwarzo School •Alh. Dahiru Rabiu, Former Grand Khadi •Dr. Musa Umar Gwarzo •Mal Musa Tijjani, former Editor of Triumph Newspaper •Alh. Adamu Isyaku Dal, former SUBEB Boss •Alh Salisu Lado •Haj Shamsiyya Mustapha •Haj Nene Umma •Alh. Garba Sarki Fagge. •Dr. Nasiru Maikano Bichi Secretary •Student Affairs NWU. •Prof. Aliyu Umar Dikko of Physiology Department, BUK •Alh Idi Mai Lemo Sheka •Captain Abdullahi Gyadi Gyadi Ja’oji Qtrs
President Buhari’s media aide, Bashir Ahmad, took to Twitter to express concern over the recent deaths recorded in his home state.
“I am so worried about Kano. May Allah SWT accept the souls of all our departed and grant them Jannah. This is indeed an unusual time. Time to drop all our differences, excuses, come and act sincerely together as brothers and sisters we are. #PrayForKano”
Nigerian opinion contributor on Aljazeera, Gimba Kakanda, disclosed that the Facebook pages of his friends in Kano are now being used as obituary boards.
“The Facebook pages of my friends from Kano have become obituary boards, and there’s no way to defend that it’s normal. The mortality rate in Kano seems to have surged, and even though it’s not been linked to any disease yet, it’s important to determine the causes of these deaths.”
Nigerian veteran actress who is also a health worker in the United States, Regina Askia, expressed her concern in a video, asking “what is happening in Kano”.
See the video here.
Here are tweets from other concerned Nigerians:
