by Musa Abdullahi
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Kano, northwest Nigeria, Alhaji Abdullahi Minkaila is dead alongside his entire family members.
He died along with his wife and two daughters at a Kano hospital after suffering severe burns from a mysterious fire that gutted his residence at the Farm Centre axis, within Kano metropolis Thursday night. Two of his siblings were also killed but accounts by Kano residents doubt that the INEC REC was actually killed by the mysterious inferno.
The incident occurred at his Nassarawa GRA resident midnight was said to have razed the entire building.
An eyewitness, Idi Ali said that efforts by good Samaritans to break into the building to rescue him and his family failed as they could not gain entrance into the building.
A Kano resident in a telephone interview with NewsWireNGR says ” It is higly possible the family members were murdered before they eventual fire, as the people of Kano we woke to the sad news, we are very sad this happened just days after elections”
When asked by our correspondent if he suspects anyone, he said “This is a political era you really cannot tell, there’s rumour all over Kano fingering both parties for his demise but for now it looks like the man was killed”.
The REC saw to the Presidential and National Assembly elections that delivered the All Progressives Congress Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
Confirming the incident, Kano Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Musa Majia told our correspondent on phone this morning that the victims, Abdullahi and his family, were immediately rushed to the hospital when the incident was discovered, but could not make it as they were confirmed dead this morning by the doctors.
“It is really very tragic and the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. They were suffocated to death—Mr. Abdullahi, his wife and two daughters. No one can tell for now, what really happened; but we have launched full investigation into the matter.
“As I am speaking with you, I am right here in the hospital with the Commissioner of Police; and we will keep you informed as we begin to unravel the mystery behind this tragic incident,” Majia said.
The Kano State spokesman, Mr Magaji Majiya, who confirmed the incident, said that the commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his family died as they tried to escape through the window of their apartment.
He explained that the fire was suspected to have been caused by a spark in the family’s generator at about 4:00am local time.
The police said more information about the incident would be released after an autopsy on the remains of Mr Abdullahi and his family.
The bodies of the victims have been conveyed to his native town, Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, for burial, in line with Islamic tradition.
INEC chief collation officer Professor Muhammad Hamisu said out of the total 2,128,367 votes casted General Buhari got 1,903,999 while President Goodluck garnered 215,779.
The incumbent Kano state governor Engineer Rabiu Kwankwaso defeated serving senator Bashir Garba Lado in the contest for Kano central senatorial seat. Professor Aminu Sulaiman who announced the result from the 15 local governments said Kwankwaso scored 758, 392 votes to beat Lado who scored 205,819.
