By Ukpaka Reports
The situation in Kano State, the commercial hub of northern Nigeria, is dire and threatens to reach breaking point in the not too distant future should corrective measures continue to evade the ancient city. Information available to 247ureports.com indicate the people in remote villages have fallen to the deadly grip of the coronavirus, and dying in hundreds daily without access to medical treatment or testing.
About 80 percent of the samples received from communities in the state turned out positive for COVID-19. This is according to Nasiru Gwarzo, head of the presidential COVID-19 task force in Kano.
As a caveat, Kano has a constantly rising population currently set at 13.4million and a population density of 470 persons per square kilometer. The ancient city already sits on a keg of gunpowder awaiting explosion. Particularly with the inner cities of Kano having population densities as high as 17,542 persons per square kilometer in Nasarawa LGA and 22,040 persons per square kilometer in Dala LGA among others.
Inside the cities of Kano State, it is gathered through numerous sources that the situation is grim beyond what the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported.
One of the sources indicated that almost every household in Feggae LGA has an sick family member, whose diagnosis is unknown but the symptoms point to COVID-19. The same is said for Tarauni and Gwale LGAs.
“We are dying every day”, a source who prefers to be referred to as Nasiru stated. “I am among the people that carry the dead bodies to the cemetery every day. Yesterday, we buried 34”. Nasiru resides in Feggae LGA, where he is engaged in petty trade. He claims the sickness to be a plan against Muslims of Nigeria.
See below for a list of names of those buried in Feggae in the last two days.
Innahlillahi Wainnah Ilaihir Raji’un Allah Yaji Kansu Da Rahama,Wannan Sune Jama Ar Da Muka Rasa Afagge Local Government A Yan Kwanakinna
1 Malam Hadi Fagge
2 Baba juji
3 Hajiya Dada
4 Garba sarki
5 Farfesa Balarabe mai kaba
6 Mai Unguwa Sammani
7 Malam Usaini Oc
8 Maryam Mutuwa Dole
9 Hajiya Aisha Matar Sarkin Fata
10 Sheikh Okashatu
11 Mahaifiyar Mustapha Jigawa
12 Alhaji Garba Shu’aibu
13 Malam Mai ya Ladifu R/lemo
14 Jamilu Jama R/lemo
15 Alh.Musa Dan Hajiya R/lemo
16 Hajiya Hajara Inusa (inna)
17 Na kaka Mai wankin hula
18 Malam Ali liman
19 Malam Aminu Ladani
20 Malam Abdu masallacin haido.
21 Malam Ali Gwani Masallacin shata.
22 Baba Dallami Baban SINALCO.
23 Alhaji Iro Bayan Gidan Na Goro
24 Malam Hassan Babansu Fifi
25 Aminu Gidan Barkono
26 Hajiya Mai Gurasa Layin Sama’ila mai guza
27 Nuhu Mai kayan miya
28 Alaramma Yakubu 3
29 Ali Makeri
30 Sunusi Wajen saude mai kaji
31Mannir na Baba Lungun Makada
32 Hamza Alh Alin Kamba
33 Baban Bala yes Dan Dali
34 Hajia Lububatu Umar Danchanji layin Mal Attama Fagge
35 Alh.Habu Jamus
36 matar haske mai guga Lungun Abba Dan mai kwaru
37 Alh. Ali Yan Haya Baban Jamilu dan kuda
38 Wata Mata a Gidan Zuma
39 Sirikin Kansilan kwaciri
40 Kakar Abban Dan Bala
41 Sirikin Larabas
42 Mahaifin Zayyeed Umar Fagge
43 Malam Mu’azzam Haido
44 Matar Alhaji Mudi
45 Hajiya Salamatu Babar Su Sutaly Matar Alhaji Madi Fagge
46 Aramma goni Rabiu
47 Aramma m.Adamu Nadoge
48 Jamilu mega, mother
49 Kakar Rossy p.a
50 Limamin masallacin shehu Azare
51 Mustapha Maikaba
52 Farida Muhammad Rijiyar lemo
Da Wanda Bamu Samu Ba a turo Mana
A contractor, Sanusi Gwamaja, who lives in the more affluent area of Badawa, lamented that people are simply dying in numbers never witnessed before.
“In one occasion while at work at a site along BUK Road we ran into a situation where a suspected coronavirus case /victim collapsed along the road. NCDC was quickly called but they did not respond”. He said the person, a female, was allowed to die. “She was buried and was not recorded as a corona virus related death” , he said.
Gwamaja points to the evil impact of Ambassador Kabiru Rabiu in spreading the deadly virus. He claims the Ambassador visited homes and places that reached the length and breadth of state and beyond. “The Ambassador interacted with Almajiris and the downtrodden, he interacted with Imams and Malams inside Mosques. He was even inside the Government House in Kano numerous times having close meetings with many of (Governor Abdullahi) Ganduje’s aides and cabinet members”.
The after effect of Ambassador Rabiu’s shenanigans appear in full effect now as the dead bodies mount. Coupled with the entrenched traditional beliefs in Kano that often obstruct scientific measures and/or approaches to ameliorate pandemics such as COVID-19. Many within the cities do not believe the virus poses a real threat to human life. In most cases, their clerics preach the same message thus, creating a perfect nest for the corona virus to breed and spread.
Inside the government, the spread of the virus is reported as merciless. Our competent source disclosed over 35% of the governor’s aides and cabinet members is infected. More than a third were victims of Ambassador Rabiu.
The affected government officials are secretly receiving treatment at local private hospitals and at their respective homes. It is not clear the extent they have isolated or quarantined themselves.
Worsening the stench is the federal government’s posture toward the State government of Kano. The Governor of Kano State, Malam Ganduje had called out on the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to come to the aid of Kano people because, he claims, the State cannot go at it alone. The major testing exercises for covid19 along with the accompanying palliatives are beyond the reach of the State. He pointed to the resources made available to Lagos State by the Buhari administration as an example of what the Kano State Government needs. Ganduje demanded N15billion.
However, the Federal Government had dispatched members of the President Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to Kano State to unravel the cause of deaths. The PTF is now convinced that COVID-19 is the main cause of the unusual number of deaths in Kano.
Ganduje, on his part, has made efforts at alleviating the menace of the virus from spreading into the communities and within he communities. In late March 2020, he launched a street fumigation exercise using private companies.
Meanwhile, the governor has announced the relaxation of the Federal Government-imposed lockdown for Mondays and Thursdays between 10am to 4pm each day. (247ureports.com)
