A husband and wife identified as Sulaiman Idris, 28, and Maimuna Halliru, 20, have been found dead in their matrimonial bed after a smoke suspected to be from charcoal suffocated them while they were sleeping in Kano State.
The incident happened on Tuesday in Kwa village of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state after the couple were noticed not to have come out of their room around 11:00am.
Confirming the incident, the state police command said they were later found dead after the grandmother of the husband forced the door of their room open, and discovered the couple motionless on their bed, with smoke odour in the room.
Spokesman of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said, “On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Mamman Dauda, directed a team of detectives led by CSP Ahmed Hamza, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Dawakin Tofa Division, to proceed to the scene.
“Victims were removed from the scene and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano where a medical doctor confirmed them dead,” he said.
He said on preliminary investigation, it was discovered that, “The deceased couple lit a charcoal fire to warm their room due to cold weather, locked up and got suffocated by the smoke which emanated from the charcoal burning while they were asleep. However, an investigation is in process.”
Kiyawa added that the Commissioner of Police advised the good people of Kano State on the need to be careful while using fire, electricity and take safety measures as the harmattan season is associated with risk of fire outbreaks.
