A student at a Tsangaya, or Qur’anic, school in Kano State has survived after stopping himself from eating a fish that later allegedly caused the deaths of four fellow students.
The incident occurred in Kadage Sharifai, Ungogo Local Government Area of the state, where the students reportedly consumed the fish before falling seriously ill. Four of them later died at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
The survivor, identified as Auwalu Surajo, 18, reportedly said he initially tasted the fish but stopped eating when he noticed that it did not taste normal. Another student also reportedly declined to eat it because he suspected something was wrong with the food.
Shortly after the other students consumed the fish, four reportedly became unconscious and developed severe symptoms. They were taken to hospital for treatment but were later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
The deceased were identified as Abdulfatah Mohammed, 15; Yusuf Nuhu, 16; Buhari Iliyasu, 14; and Ibrahim Muhammad, 22.
Reports indicated that one of the students may have found the fish beneath a chair while carrying out domestic chores at a nearby residence. He reportedly took it outside and shared it with his colleagues without knowing that it could have been contaminated.
The affected students were taken to several medical facilities before being transferred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, where four deaths were confirmed.
The owner of the Tsangaya school, Gwani Malam Iliyasu, described the incident as a devastating loss, saying one of the deceased was his son while another was his nephew. Two others, he said, were children of his friends.
The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the deaths and commenced an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish what caused the students’ illnesses.
Meanwhile, medical advice following the incident has stressed the importance of seeking immediate professional treatment when food poisoning or poisoning is suspected, rather than attempting unverified home remedies.
