A widow and her five children died after consuming a local dish called Danwake in Karkari village, located in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State. The tragic event has shocked the local community, leaving many in deep mourning.
The victims, all members of the same family, were rushed to Gwarzo General Hospital on Thursday after falling critically ill from the meal. Despite efforts to save them, they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The Kano State Police Command confirmed the incident, with the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, stating, “The six members of the family who ate the food were rushed to Gwarzo General Hospital, where they were confirmed dead by doctors. We are still waiting for the medical report from the hospital to ascertain the cause of the death of the six persons.”
Initial reports suggest that the food may have been prepared using expired cassava flour, which is suspected to be the cause of the fatal poisoning. However, authorities are still awaiting a full medical report to confirm this.
The deceased have been identified as Alhakatu Abdulkarim, the widow who prepared the meal, and her five children: Bashir, Firdausi, Hafsat, Usman, and Jamilu. The tragic loss of an entire family has left the community in a state of shock and grief.
A local resident, Malam Musa Abdullahi, spoke about the deep sorrow felt by everyone in the village.
“This is a great loss for all of us. Alhakatu was a hardworking woman who did everything to provide for her children. It is unimaginable that something like this could happen,” he said, expressing the collective grief of the community.
As investigations continue, the authorities have issued a public warning, urging people to be cautious when preparing and consuming food. SP Abdullahi emphasized the importance of food safety, especially regarding the use of ingredients that may be expired or unsafe.
“We are urging people to be very careful and ensure that the food they prepare and consume is safe,” he advised.