Four Almajiri students have died in Kano after allegedly consuming suspected contaminated fish, while another is receiving treatment at a hospital.
The deceased were identified as Abdulfatah Mohammed, 15; Yusuf Nuhu, 16; Buhari Iliyasu, 14; and Ibrahim Muhammad, 22. Another student, Auwalu Surajo, 18, reportedly survived and is currently receiving medical attention at a hospital.
The students were pupils of a Tsangaya (Qur’anic) school operated by Gwani Malam Iliyasu Mai Tsangaya in Kadage Sharifai, Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.
According to a statement issued by the National Chairman of the Tsangaya Media Network, Gwani Sani Musa Nuhu, the students were rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) after reportedly falling ill following the consumption of suspected contaminated food.
The statement said the four students later died at the hospital on Sunday night, August 16.
The statement did not, however, specify the type of food consumed or the substance suspected to have caused the illness.
Speaking to Daily Trust, a friend of the deceased, Malam Surajo Unguwar Gareji, said he was present when one of the students brought out the fish at about 7:00am.
He said they initially began eating the fish together but that he stopped after tasting it because he noticed that it did not taste right.
Another friend, Malam Umar, said he also declined to eat the fish because he suspected that it was unsafe.
According to him, shortly after the students ate the fish, four of them became unconscious and fell seriously ill.
He said their condition was reported to their teacher, who immediately arranged for them to be taken to hospital.
‘Unfortunately, the four of them were later confirmed dead by medical doctors at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital,’ he said.
The owner of the Tsangaya school, Gwani Malam Iliyasu, confirmed the incident in an interview with Daily Trust, describing it as a tragedy for the school, the affected families and the Muslim Ummah in general.
He said he lost four of his students and prayed for Allah to grant them Aljannatul Firdausi and give their parents the strength to bear the loss.
Daily Trust gathered that the incident occurred at the residence of Malam Iliyasu Zulyadaini, where one of the deceased, Abdulfatah, reportedly carried out domestic chores.
A resident, Malam Aliyu, said the boy usually swept the rooms and compound and that, on the day of the incident, he reportedly found the fish beneath a chair while cleaning the premises.
He said Abdulfatah allegedly took the fish outside and shared it with his friends, unaware that it might have been contaminated.
Malam Aliyu said he only learnt about the incident after the students had been taken to hospital and immediately went there.
He added that it took some time before the circumstances surrounding the food consumed by the students became known.
Police begin investigation
The Kano State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying an investigation was underway to establish the cause of the deaths.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the deceased were from Sule Tankarkar Local Government Area of Jigawa State and had come to Kano to study and memorise the Qur’an.
He said the police would brief the public on the outcome of the investigation when it is concluded.
The remains of the deceased were subsequently buried according to Islamic rites after approval was obtained from the district head (Dagaci) and the area police authorities.
What experts say
A Kano-based medical doctor, Dr Usman Abdullahi Nagogo, explained that food poisoning is an illness caused by consuming food or water contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or toxins.
He said common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps or pain, fever and weakness.
According to him, symptoms can begin within minutes or hours of consuming contaminated food, although in some cases they may take several days to appear.
Dr Nagogo said the chances of survival were generally better when affected persons received prompt medical attention.
He advised members of the public against attempting to neutralise suspected poisons or forcing affected persons to take substances as home remedies.
He urged anyone suspected to have suffered food poisoning or poisoning from an unknown substance to seek emergency medical attention immediately and, where possible, preserve the suspected food or substance for health authorities to examine.
He also advised people not to induce vomiting unless specifically instructed to do so by a qualified medical professional or poison-control expert.