What’s Going On In Kano? -By Jeff Okoroafor

So far there are over 640+ deaths in Kano, in a space of one week. The Kano State government is not saying anything on what’s responsible for such ‘sudden’ deaths. The NCDC is also silent. Yesterday, a young man on Twitter, AYMAN, reported that 16 people “fell and died” in his compound in Kano, just like that.

The NCDC’s COVID-19 testing centre (domiciled at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital) in Kano has indefinitely suspended its operation due to shortage of testing kits and the fact that almost all staff of the laboratory got infected with the virus. Nobody knows exactly when the centre will be reopened for operation, the people of the state are literally on their own. Just last week a 70 year old woman sent an audio SOS message about her son-in-law who she assumed (based on his symptoms) had contacted the COVID-19 virus, in Kano. She narrated how she, on many occasions, called the NCDC hotlines with no response. After several attempts she got through and was lied to about the state of things in the state. They also lied to her that officials of NCDC will be dispatched to her location as soon as possible. The woman figured out figured out their lie, called back and confronted them. They apologized, and that was it. The son-in-law who was moved from one hospital to another, died after two hours of being placed on oxygen as he couldn’t breathe. NCDC did nothing. According to this woman, she has been calling the NCDC since the death of her son-in-law so they can intervene and save the live of her daughter and grandchildren. No response. Nothing. They went underground. The family of that man are potential threat, the hospitals he visited before his demise are also potential threat to the generality of the people of the state.

Beside the recklessness and nonresponsiveness of the NCDC being instrumental to the growing case in Kano, the religious clerics are also compounding the situation in the state. I watched a clip where an Islamic cleric gathered hundreds of people and was boldly telling them that COVID-19 is not real, referencing those who are still alive after attending Abba Kyari’s funeral. I have also seen videos where some young boys gathered in their hundreds, protesting and asking that the Mosques be opened for regular activities.

Kano may well be the epicenter of COVID-19 deaths not just in Nigeria but in the world. The combination of poverty, illiteracy, densely populated state, non-existent healthcare, and poor leadership is exactly the recipe for disaster amidst this Coronavirus pandemic.

The death toll of Coronavirus in Kano is unknown since no data is coming out from either the government established bodies or any private entity whatsoever. Without doubts, a good percentage of the mentioned death toll figure is highly suspicious for COVID-19. Among all measure of isolation and control that must immediately be deployed by the government, a massive awareness campaign must be launched in the state to educate the people on the imminent threat the virus pose. If nothing is done and done urgently, we may have an uncontrollable catastrophe in our hands.

May God help us.