Kano hospitals board admits negligence in woman’s death, suspends three staff

The Kano state hospitals management board has confirmed thatthe death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, was caused by medical negligenceat the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre. Umar died on Sunday while undergoing a corrective surgery toremove a pair of scissors allegedly left inside her abdomen during an earlieroperation at the government-owned facility. Abubakar Mohammed, a relative of the deceased, said Umar hadsuffered severe abdominal pain for months after undergoing surgery at thehospital in September 2025. Reacting to the incident, the hospitals management boardsaid it ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. In a statement on Tuesday, Samira Suleiman, spokesperson ofthe board, said a preliminary investigation confirmed that surgical scissorswere mistakenly left inside Umar’s body during the earlier procedure. “The preliminary findings of the investigation ordered bythe Executive Secretary, Dr Mansur Mudi Nagoda, revealed clear medicalnegligence, as surgical scissors were left inside the patient after theprocedure,” Suleiman said. She added that the board had taken immediate disciplinaryaction against those involved. According to the board, the matter has been referred to theKano state medical ethics committee for a comprehensive probe and appropriatedisciplinary measures. “As an immediate step, the Board has suspended threepersonnel directly involved in the case from carrying out any clinicalresponsibilities, pending the outcome of further investigations,” the statementreads. “The board extends its deepestcondolences to the family of the late Aishatu Umar and sympathises with themover this painful loss. We reassure the public that negligence will not becondoned in any form.”

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