COVID-19: Nigerians react to mysterious deaths of VIPs in Kano

Nigerians are worried over the sudden deaths of prominent citizens that occurred in Kano State in suspicious circumstances in the last 24 hours.

Reports surface late on Saturday that about twenty people mysteriously dropped dead in Kano State.

While some were attributing the calamitous deaths to outbreak of meningitis, others are suspecting some of the deaths could be caused by coronavirus infections especially since testing for the virus has been suspended in the State for some days.

Prominent among the elites that died are Aliyu Umar Dikko; Regional Manager of First Bank, Abdullahi Lawal; ex-MD of Continental Merchant Bank, Ibrahim Ayagi; Musa Ahmad Tijjani, Editor of Triumph newspapers; Adamu Dal, ex-Chairman State Civil Service Commission, among others

Nigerians have taken to social media to express their concern about the unusual development

Here are some comments from Twitter:

@Chuxugo “This isn’t a matter of tradition/religion, hence the law of the land should supersede any other beliefs/social norms. If I was the FG, I would immediately order the NCDC to exhume all the bodies and carry out COVID-19 tests immediately. We need to know the root cause of these deaths in Kano.”

@Adadioranma “Not sure if autopsies are prohibited in Islam but common sense dictates that they’re necessary when there’s an incidence of mass casualties from an unverified illness like we’re seeing in Kano, especially during this pandemic. Any argument against it solely on religious grounds is null.”

@Mitch_ihejinka “I don’t think it’s COVID-19 that’s killing them, the virus hasn’t gotten to its peak in Nigeria. It’s too early for COVID-19 to account for over 600 deaths. It could be another health related issue, it may be meningitis.”

@Jeaneluc “If it is to sack people for celebrating Abba Kyari’s death on Facebook, Ganduje will speed like lightning, but when it’s to get information on what has killed over 600 in a week in Kano, he will be forming Northen Wizkid; set awon, I don’t talk too much on social media.”

@Aashfin “Kwankwaso and Sunusi lamido Sunusi wouldn’t have kept mute to the situation in Kano state right now, I’m sure the people of Kano state are missing them.”

@Hislawdshio “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved people of Kano. Some of us know that you all didn’t vote for Buhari and Ganduje. They imposed themselves on you all and abandoned you in this trying times. I pray that help comes soon.”

@Omojuwa “I hope there is already a lockdown in Kano. Except there is a new virus that originated from Kano – unlikely, this looks like the Coronavirus wreaking havoc without hindrance – extremely likely.”

@herculean_me “For those claiming NCDC failed Kano, your Ganduje failed catastrophically in handling #COVID19 outbreaks in his state. Entitled northern politicians want everything done for them by the FG. Northern friends, see your mate partnering organizations to do the right thing.”

@Toluteezy “About 600 people died in Kano in the last one week, It’s beginning to happen maybe Kano might be the epicenter of this virus in Nigeria, the government needs to act fast.”