A tragic incident occurred in the Gwammaja quarters of Dala Local Government Area of Kano State on Friday when two almajirai died after reportedly mistaking a poisonous substance for powdered milk.
The victims—Abdullahi, 12, and Aminu, 14—were among six Qur’anic students who found a powdery substance near a gutter along Kotu Street. Believing it was milk, they mixed it with water to make tea.
Shortly after consuming it, all six boys began to show signs of poisoning.
“Someone had thrown the substance over a fence. The children found it and thought it was milk,” said their teacher, Malam Nafiu. “Abdullahi and Aminu didn’t make it. The others are receiving treatment and are showing signs of recovery.”
Eyewitnesses said the boys started foaming at the mouth and collapsed one after the other. Bystanders took them to a nearby hospital, but two died before help could arrive.
The children were from Dandume Local Government Area in Katsina State and had come to Kano to study the Qur’an under the tsangaya system.
Police visited the site and collected samples. Officials said autopsies and toxicology tests would be conducted to confirm what the children ingested.
The case has sparked concern over the safety of almajirai in urban environments.
