Police probe death of 13-year-old student in Kano

The police are investigating the death of Maimuna Salisu, a 13-year-old junior secondary school boarding student of St. Louis Secondary School, Kano.

This followed a petition from the family, dated 17 June, submitted to the police by Nakudu Law Partners, solicitors to the deceased’s mother, Nusaiba Dan-Sheriff.

The family is alleging foul play and pointing to conflicting narratives regarding how the teenager died.

According to the petition, school authorities contacted Maimuna’s parents on 13 June, at approximately 7:20 p.m., claiming she had fallen ill and was taken to the International Clinic in Kano.

The deceased’s elder sister arrived at the hospital at about 8:19 p.m., only to be informed by the attending doctor that Maimuna was already dead.

Her remains were buried on 14 June, in accordance with Islamic rites.

However, the family has raised serious concerns over what they describe as conflicting accounts of her final moments.

While school authorities initially claimed that Maimuna suffered a fatal asthma attack after arriving late to the school mosque, separate testimonies gathered by the family allege a harsher reality.

The petition claims late Maimuna was subjected to corporal punishment by senior students—specifically flogging and forced, prolonged kneeling—for refusing to sweep, an ordeal that allegedly worsened her underlying medical condition.

In response to the petition, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, directed that the case be handled with strict transparency, diligence, and adherence to human rights compliance.

To ensure an impartial investigation, the Command has set up a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Shehu Idris.

To maintain legal oversight, officials from the Kano State Ministry of Justice have also been co-opted into the panel.

The investigative panel has invited several persons for questioning, including one male and two females from the school.

Also being questioned are three other female students, who are seniors to the deceased.

The command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa, assured the public that the findings and recommendations of the panel will be made public once concluded.

“The Kano State Police Command, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, assures the family of the deceased, the school community, and the general public that the investigation will be thorough, impartial, and transparent,” Mr Kiyawa said.

“Anyone found culpable will be made to face the full weight of the law, while those exonerated will be cleared accordingly.”

The command urged members of the public, particularly the St. Louis School community, to come forward with any credible information that could aid the investigation, promising strict confidentiality.