On Kano’s deaths
The frightening news of harvest of death in Kano state has become matter of great concern. This bad news has come at a wrong time amidst country’s persistent rise of COVID-19 pandemic. It was reported that over 200 people died within two days, last week. The mysterious death has instilled palpable tension and fears among […]
The frightening news of harvest of death in Kano state has become matter of great concern. This bad news has come at a wrong time amidst country’s persistent rise of COVID-19 pandemic. It was reported that over 200 people died within two days, last week. The mysterious death has instilled palpable tension and fears among the residents. Initially, the state government looked indifferent to the increase rate of death, pretending all is well. It later came up with the decision to investigate the rising case of the death. In its report submitted to the governor, the state ministry of health blamed malaria, typhoid and diabetic complications as the main causes of the deaths.
Nigerians have any cause to worry over the frequent rate of death in the most populous city of Nigeria. First, Kano is a commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria. It attracts people from all walks of lives who often visit the state for commercial and other purposes. Second, with COVID-19 outbreak, which necessitates lockdown in many states in the country coupled with the failure of Kano state government to acquire adequate testing kits, there is every tendency that the massive death in the state might have been linked or connected to deadly coronavirus. The last time Kano state had its test result was last week Wednesday, where its confirmed cases jumped to 73. As of now, the state does not have an actual data of COVID-19 victims.
Lastly, in an interview granted to BBC on Monday, Governor Ganduje, blamed the federal government for abandoning his state. He accused the NCDC for not providing testing kits for the state medical personals. If most of the deaths are not tested, how can the state quickly conclude it was not COVID-19? According to Islamic rites ,deceased persons are to be buried immediately. This Islamic jurisprudence gives little room for corpse autopsy. There is the urgent need for the federal government to come to the aid of Kano state. The death is rampant and very alarming. It may hinder the success of war againts COVID-19.Unless the governments tackles these mysterious deaths, it has to battle two known and unknown killer diseases.
Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna state [email protected]