Two nurses have been taken into custody in Kebbi State following the tragic deaths of two young sisters, aged six and three, after they allegedly received the wrong injection at the General Hospital in Zuru.
The girls passed away on March 18 in what authorities suspect was a case of medical negligence during their treatment at the facility. The arrested nurses are now being held at a police station in Birnin Kebbi while a full investigation determines precisely what led to the fatalities.
In a swift response to the incident, the Kebbi State Government has set up a nine-member panel to probe the matter thoroughly. The panel, chaired by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed, has already begun its hearings in Zuru.
As an immediate show of support, the state government presented the grieving family with ₦10 million during a gathering at the Emir’s Palace in Zuru. While handing over the donation, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed emphasized that the money was intended solely to help the family deal with the emotional pain of their loss. “This donation is to assist the family in coping with the trauma of this tragic loss. It is not, and cannot be, a replacement for the lives lost,” he stated. He added that no sum could ever make up for such an irreparable tragedy, but the gesture was meant to reassure the family that they had not been forgotten or left to suffer alone.
The Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi Mikailu Sami, addressed the family directly, encouraging them to view the heartbreaking event as an act of God and to hold firmly to their faith. He praised Governor Nasir Idris for acting quickly and compassionately, describing the governor’s moves as clear proof of a genuine commitment to justice. The monarch also issued a strong reminder to all health workers about the importance of professionalism. “Health workers must embrace constant training and retraining. Negligence that endangers lives is completely unacceptable,” he warned.
Speaking for the bereaved family, Barrister Garba Shehu thanked the state government for both the financial aid and the decision to launch a detailed inquiry aimed at preventing any repeat of the tragedy. “We are grateful to the Governor for this support and for ensuring that a thorough investigation is carried out so that such an incident does not happen again,” he said. Despite their profound sorrow, he noted that the family found some comfort in the belief that no one departs this life before their destined time.
The investigative panel has already heard detailed testimonies from several key medical staff, including the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas Gode, and Medical Officer Dr. Mohammed Fakai, along with the nurses who were on duty when the incident occurred. All witnesses were cross-examined. The parents of the deceased girls, led by their father, Ibrahim Abdullahi Shuni, and other family members also appeared before the panel to recount the sequence of events that ended in the children’s deaths.
During the sittings, hospital personnel highlighted ongoing issues such as communication gaps between staff members, shortcomings that the panel identified as areas urgently needing improvement to safeguard patient care in the future.
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