Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State unexpectedly relaxed the coronavirus induced lockdown in the state on Saturday even as the mysterious deaths in the state continued.
Two prominent citizens –the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila Auta Bawo and the Head of Communications, United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Kano Field Office, Mallam Rabiu Musa – are among the latest casualties of the mysterious deaths.
Ganduje’s action was said to be a unilateral decision and came only 48 hours after he pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to relax the curfew that was imposed last Monday.
I got Buhari’s approval to relax lockdown
The governor however said Saturday night that he got the consent of President Buhari to relax the lockdown order.
His Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, said in a statement that “we sought for the consent of Mr President on how to relax the lockdown, to allow for some free movements of people but within stipulated hours of the agreed days.”
The state government is also bickering with the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso over alleged donation of a 60-bed hospital by the latter as isolation centre.
The state said there was no verbal or written communication from Kwankwaso as at press time yesterday on the donation of the hospital.
Besides Ganduje, members of the PTF are worried that some governors have not been working in tandem with the committee in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
The Nation gathered that although the PTF had a review session on Saturday in Abuja, there was no request presented to it by Ganduje to relax the lockdown in the state.
The meeting, sources said, deliberated extensively on the ‘precarious’ situation in Kano State and the preparations for the containment of COVID-19.
But a few hours after the PTF meeting ended, members heard of the relaxation of the lockdown by the governor.
A top source said: “Most PTF members were shocked by the relaxation of the lockdown by the governor because the conditions for such did not exist. We have been worried about the increasing COVID-19 spread in the state. Just on Friday, the state recorded 92 cases.
“We know that the state does not have enough facilities to manage the Coronavirus epidemic. His decision to relax the lockdown was hasty and untimely. It came at a time when President Muhammadu Buhari sent a team to Kano State to help the state manage the situation.
Responding to a question, the source added: “Ganduje did not send any request to the PTF to relax the lockdown.
“The PTF met on Saturday to review the situation but there was no such a demand from Ganduje. The only issue was about the concern that some governors have not been working in tandem with the committee to contain the coronavirus disease.
“For instance, some governors are mounting pressure on the PTF to allow them to be flexible on curfew.”
A call was put through to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha but he did not pick or reply.
A text message sent to his GSM line and WhatsApp also yielded no response.
Under the relaxation announced by Ganduje yesterday residents of the state will have a 12 hour free period per week.
He said that the people are free to move about between 10 am and 4 pm on Mondays and Thursdays to get food items and other essential commodities to keep life going.
He said neighborhood supermarkets would be allowed to open for people to patronize.
The list of such supermarkets will be released in due course.
The Governor explained that all the major markets will remain closed, except some selected supermarkets
Ganduje added that only Yankaba Market where perishable items are sold, and Yan Lemo Market, where fruits are sold, would be allowed to operate between 10am and 4pm on Mondays and Thursdays.
Ganduje, however, warned that traders and buyers must observe the COVID-19 protocols including the wearing of face masks.
He warned that any trader caught cheating customers by increasing prices would have his shop locked down, and his goods confiscated.
He said: “From the reports, we have seen, no doubt that there is mass increase of COVID-19 cases in Kano. This is an issue that people should be conscious of so that we can take the protocols very seriously.”
He added that with the help of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Test Centre at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has become operational, “although we are still taking samples to Abuja because of the low capacity of the NCDC Test Centre.”
According to Ganduje, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has promised to bring a Mobile Test Centre which has the capacity of testing 400 people per day,” adding that with time mobile testing will increase to testing up to 1000 people per day.
Ganduje also hinted that the Bayero University Kano (BUK) Test Centre will soon be operational.
He regretted that “the setback we have witnessed for some weeks now without test centre contributed to the high level of cases that Kano has recorded.”
More mystery deaths in Kano
The Emir of Rano Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila Auta Bawo and the Head of Communications, United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Kano Field Office, Mallam Rabiu Musa, died yesterday as the mysterious deaths in the state continued.
The emir died at a hospital in Kano at the age of 74.
At the time he was rushed to the hospital yesterday, sources said his ailment had nothing to do with COVID-19.
He is survived by two wives and 17 children.
Rano Emirate Council is one of the four newly created by Ganduje.
But Mallam Rabiu Musa is suspected of being a victim of the coronavirus.
He was aged 60.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted his son, Musa Rabiu, as saying he died at about 3.00 am yesterday having fallen ill a few days ago.
“Although we noticed symptoms we suspect to be of coronavirus the result of the test conducted is not yet out,” he said.
He added: “a week ago, he complained of sore throat and malaria, but after few days of medication, he became normal. A few days later, he complained that he was finding it difficult to breath.
“He also complained that no matter how short he walked, he lost breath. So, he was taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dala on Friday where he gave up.”
Rate of community transmission in Kano ‘now 80 percent
The head of the presidential COVID-19 task force in Kano, Nasiru Gwarzo, said yesterday that the rate of community transmission of COVID-19 has now reached 80 percent in the state.
Gwarzo told the BBC Hausa that about 80 percent of the samples received from communities in the state turned out positive for COVID-19.
He called for urgent action to stop the trend, saying: “When about 100 samples are delivered, there are five to ten that are positive (for coronavirus),” he said.
“But now, when 100 samples are returned, about 80 are coronavirus cases.”
State govt, Kwankwaso bicker over hospital donation
Media aide to Kwankwaso, Mr. Saifullahi Hassan said the hospital, called Amana, was “newly- built and fully equipped with 60-bed capacity is located on Miller Road, Bompai, Kano.
He said the donation of the hospital was to assist the “management committee to overcome this epidemic.”
There were insinuations in Kwankwaso’s camp that the state government rejected the donation of the isolation centre.
But speaking with our correspondent exclusively last night, Information Commissioner Muhammad Garba, said: “It is not true that the state government rejected the donation of the hospital by the former governor.
“About a week ago, the attention of the governor was drawn to a statement by the ex-governor donating the hospital to the people of Kano State.
“As I am talking to you, there is no any formal communication to the state government, either verbal or written.
“The ex-governor and his representative have not called the governor, the deputy governor the Secretary to the State Government and the Task Force on COVID-19 in the state on the donation.
“The keys to gain access to the hospital have not been handed over to any government official. If he has any letter or he has established any contact, let him tell the public.
“I think he is using the donation to blackmail the state government. If he is sincere, let him write formally to the state.”
Asked of the disposition of the government, Garba added: “If he donates the hospital to the state, we will take it. This is not politics, it is about the health of our people. We have been receiving donations from many people irrespective of leanings.”

By Yusuf Alli