Abubakar Muhammad, a resident of Kano, has formally accused the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre of severe negligence, which he alleges directly resulted in the death of his wife, Aishatu Umar. The mother of five reportedly succumbed to complications stemming from a surgical procedure performed at the state-owned health facility in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State.

According to Muhammad, his wife passed away in the early hours of Monday, January 11, 2026, approximately four months after a surgical error. Aishatu Umar had undergone surgery at the hospital in September 2025 after falling ill. However, shortly after the operation, she began to experience persistent and severe abdominal pain, a condition that rapidly deteriorated over the subsequent months.

Muhammad recounted that his wife repeatedly returned to the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre to complain about her worsening condition. Despite her consistent pleas, hospital staff allegedly only prescribed pain-relief medication, dismissing her pain as a normal post-operative symptom.

“Each time she went back to complain, they only prescribed painkillers. They kept telling her the pain was normal for patients who had undergone surgery, but they never recommended an X-ray or any form of scan,” Muhammad stated, highlighting the lack of thorough medical investigation at the initial stages.

The horrifying truth emerged only days before her death when medical tests and scans were finally conducted at Muhammad Abdullahi Wade Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. These diagnostic results allegedly revealed that a pair of surgical scissors had been left inside her body during the September 2025 operation. Efforts were reportedly underway to perform corrective surgery to remove the forgotten object, but tragically, Aishatu Umar died before the procedure could be carried out.

Describing the incident as gross negligence, Muhammad expressed profound grief and raised serious concerns about professional standards within the healthcare system. He emphasized that while death is inevitable, such a preventable error during surgery severely undermines public confidence in medical professionals and health institutions. He has since appealed to the Kano State government and relevant health regulatory authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure justice is served.

In response to the public outcry following the revelation of the incident, the Kano State Hospitals Management Board swiftly ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation. The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, on Tuesday, issued the directive, aiming to ascertain all facts and circumstances surrounding Aishatu Umar's death.

A statement signed by the Board’s Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, later confirmed that a preliminary investigation had indeed corroborated the presence of surgical scissors left inside the patient’s body after the procedure.

As a direct consequence, the Board announced the immediate suspension of three medical personnel directly involved in the case from clinical duties at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre.

Furthermore, the matter has been referred to the Kano State Medical Ethics Committee for in-depth investigation and the application of appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with professional standards and the law. The Board extended its deepest condolences to Aishatu Umar's family, reassuring the public of its commitment to transparent, impartial, and professional action, and its unwavering pledge that negligence will not be condoned in any form within Kano State's healthcare delivery system, with patient safety remaining its utmost priority.