Headlines
Kano mass deaths not related to COVID-19–Government
Nazifi Dawud
The Kano state government has finally acknowledged the increased mortality rate in the state, explaining that the deaths are not related to the COVID-19–a fatal respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.
KANO FOCUS reports that residents in the state have been raising concern over increased rate of deaths in Kano city, a concern that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje dismissed as “fake news’ before making a u-turn to say the situation would be investigated.
The deputy state co-ordinator of COVID-19 Response Team, Dr Sabitu Shuaibu had said in an interview with Channels Television that the state had recorded over 640 deaths in one week.
However, in a statement on Sunday, Malam Muhammad Garba, the state’s commissioner for information, blamed complications from malaria, diabetes, hypertension and meningitis as the causes of the surging deaths not COVID-19 as is being widely believed.
“Kano state government on Sunday acknowledged recent deaths in Kano, promising that the state Government is on top of the situation, as Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has already directed the state Ministry of Health to conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the deaths,” Mr Garba said.
He said “although investigation into the cause of the deaths is still ongoing, preliminary report from the state Ministry of Health indicated that the deaths are not connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The commissioner added that “reports from the state Ministry of Health has shown that most of the deaths were caused by complications arising from hypertension, diabetes, meningitis and acute malaria.”
He further stated that Mr Ganduje is “earnestly waiting for the final report from the state Ministry of Health so as to take necessary action.”
According to him, Mr Ganduje from the onset, demonstrated the zeal and political will to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
“Governor Ganduje’s administration has been commended from within and outside the state over the proactive measures it took towards curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This explains why Kano, apart from being the most populace state, did not record a case of the pandemic until lately. Though we agree that the situation on hand currently is serious, we are not resting on our oars in taking appropriate measures to ensure that the good people of Kano state, and indeed, residents in the state protect themselves from the novel COVID-19 pandemic,” he stated.
He further noted that part of measures taken by the state government to stop the spread of the virus include the on-going lockdown, closing of boarders, aggressive campaign for social distancing, washing and sanitizing of hands, as well as strict adherence to and practice of the principles of personal hygiene.
Mr Garba added that the government through the Kano COVID-19 Fund-Raising Committee, has been making palliatives available to the most vulnerable and the needy in the society.
“Moreso, the state government has three modern Isolation Centres where those tested positive to COVID-19 are being cared for. We are also hopeful of getting additional two Isolation Centres soonest. The government has also hired a hotel where suspected cases are accommodated.
“Also, Kano state government is collaborating with Bayero University Kano (BUK) to establish a testing centre within the institution, which will be ready in two weeks time after being certified by the NCDC. This will, indeed, enhance our determination to ensure that every suspected case undergo test.
“Governor Ganduje has also sent a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to urgently work on the NCDC testing centre at AKTH which has been closed down for sometime now.
“We have enough medical manpower that can take care of the patients. What we are now asking for is financial assistance from the Federal Government and other donors to help sustain all this infrastructure and also continue the provision of palliatives to our people,” Mr Garba explained.
He noted that, “the state government is concerned over what is happening. The Ministry of Health is already handling the situation. When they are through with the medical investigation, further necessary actions will be taken.
“I urge the good people of Kano state not to panic. Government is on top of the situation. The mystery or whatever it is will soon be unravelled,” the commissioner said.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Experts in reproductive health have called for improved access to contraceptive services in Nigeria, saying women and girls should be provided with accurate information and the freedom to make informed choices about family planning.
KANO FOCUS reports that they made the call on Wednesday during a virtual engagement organised by the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) to mark the 2026 World Contraception Day.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps (CBHG), Dr Moriam Jagun, said misconceptions surrounding family planning remained a major barrier to contraceptive uptake.
Dr Moriam Jagun
Jagun said neither Islam nor Catholicism was against family planning, urging the media and health stakeholders to address religious and cultural misconceptions with accurate information.
She said fears that contraceptive use could cause infertility, cancer, excessive bleeding and other health problems also discouraged some women from using family planning methods.
According to her, such concerns should not simply be dismissed as myths, but should be addressed through honest counselling and evidence-based information that enables women to make informed decisions.
Jagun said contraceptive prevalence remained low in Nigeria, putting the national average at about 15 per cent, compared with 31 per cent in Lagos.
She also cited research showing that educated people were more likely to embrace family planning than those with lower levels of education.
She therefore called for greater attention to marginalised, vulnerable and underserved communities, saying national averages could conceal significant inequalities in access to reproductive health services.
Jagun said access should not be measured simply by whether contraceptives were available in health facilities.
She identified financial, physical, social, cultural and religious, as well as informational barriers that could prevent women from accessing services even when contraceptives were available.
“Availability is not the same as access,” she stressed, noting that a woman could have contraceptives available at a health facility but still be unable to obtain them because of cost, distance, stigma, provider attitudes or lack of information.
She also cautioned healthcare providers against allowing personal beliefs or biases to interfere with professional responsibilities, particularly when dealing with young and unmarried women seeking contraception.
According to her, providers should inform and support clients rather than make reproductive decisions on their behalf.
Jagun further urged stakeholders to prioritise adolescents, rural women, women with disabilities and other underserved populations in the design and delivery of family planning services.
She said the success of family planning should not be measured only by the number of women accepting contraceptives, but also by whether clients were properly informed, offered options, made voluntary choices and retained the freedom to change or discontinue a method.
On the role of the media, she urged journalists to rely on accurate and evidence-based information and avoid sensational reporting.
She also advised the media to clearly distinguish family planning and contraception from abortion in their reporting to prevent misinformation and confusion.
Presenting on the theme “A Choice for All: Agency, Intention, Access,” Executive Director of Media, Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR), Mrs Alu Azege, said contraceptive access should be viewed beyond the mere availability of commodities.
Mrs Alu Azege
Azege, who is also Chair of the Media and Visibility Subcommittee of the 9th Nigerian Family Planning Conference, said genuine access required women to have information, options, privacy, affordability, respectful counselling and freedom from pressure or judgment.
She said the word “all” in the World Contraception Day theme was particularly significant, stressing that contraceptive access should include unmarried young women, adolescents, widows, market women, students and other groups that could face barriers to services.
Azege described the media as an important channel for reproductive health information, particularly as young people increasingly encounter contraceptive information through social media before meeting healthcare providers.
She said traditional media could complement social media by verifying information, debunking myths, amplifying questions from young people and holding authorities accountable for gaps in health service delivery.
She also highlighted both the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence, saying AI could provide personalised, private and accessible reproductive health information, but warned that bias, misinformation and unequal access to technology could undermine its benefits.
In her welcome address, President of NRHJN, Mrs Oluyinka Shokunbi, said every Nigerian woman and girl should have access to safe contraception and the ability to decide if, when and how often to have children.
Mrs Oluyinka Shokunbi
Shokunbi said contraceptive access could help prevent unintended pregnancies, improve maternal and child health and advance women’s ability to pursue education, careers and participation in public life.
She said cultural, religious and information barriers continued to limit access to contraception, while young people were increasingly turning to social media and artificial intelligence for sexual health information.
She called for unhindered access to accurate information and contraceptive choices, particularly for women and girls who remain underserved by existing health systems.
KANO FOCUS reports that the engagement was held under the 2026 World Contraception Day theme,“No Barriers, Just Choices: Contraceptive Access Now!”
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