As COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc in Kano State in the past few days and the death of prominent citizens in academics and business circles in mysterious circomstances, an Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has sent a Save Our Soul message (SOS) to the Federal Government (FG) urging it to intervene without delay.
Although the state government had denied any connection between the strange deaths and Coronavirus, people still believe there was link between the two.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC Director, in a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the Federal Government on Monday, urged National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to properly investigate the Kano situation, expressing fear that the recent deaths could have been caused by Coronavirus.
He said: “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 SOS. 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.
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“That is an indication that the virus is very active in Kano State. Kano already has 77 cases of Coronavirus 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.
“We advise Kano citizens in particular and the rest of Nigerians in general to take half a tea-spoonful of habat as-sauda (black seed) with honey every morning to boost their immunity. Warm water should be added thereafter.
“During his lifetime, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended habat as-sauda as remedy for all diseases. Some COVID-19 patients have also testified to the effectiveness of habat as-sauda.
