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General News of Tuesday, 28 April 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Deaths in Kano, attempt at debilitating northern population? - MURIC

MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has reacted to the recent mysterious deaths recorded in Kano State.

In a statement signed by its director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, MURIC wondered why Kano State which is highly populated lacks testing centers for COVID-19.

He also questioned if it is a "deliberate attempt at debilitating Northern population with its attendant impact on Muslim majority population in the country".

“Too many people are dying in Kano these days. It is too unusual. We suspect COVID-19. We need help in Kano very urgently. This is an S.O.S. The Federal Government must act with dispatch. We cannot afford to play the waiting game in this matter. We may not overwhelm COVID-19 even if we succeed in containing it in the rest of the country. This is because Kano is strategically positioned. The virus can easily spread to the North West, North East and then down South.

“Records have shown that the advent of the virus in some Northern states is not unconnected with the ancient city of Kano. The index cases in Adamawa, Plateau, and Jigawa are from Kano. Even two of the index cases in Kaduna are from Kano. That is an indication that the virus is very active in Kano State. Kano already has 77 cases of Corona virus at the last count but even that figure is debatable.

“More disturbing is the rumour that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the state has locked up its offices and its officials are not responding to distress calls. The only testing centre in Kano which is situated at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has also been allegedly locked up. So where did NCDC get its figure on Kano? Something is fishy here. We are surprised that testing centres are almost nonexistent in the North. Is this a deliberate attempt at debilitating Northern population with its attendant impact on Muslim majority population in the country?

“We therefore demand an inquiry into circumstances surrounding the alleged closure of NCDC office in Kano State as well as the paucity of testing centres in the whole North.'' the statement read.