Gov. Aliyu denies death of 46-year-old woman in his office

Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, on Tuesday, debunked media reports that a woman identified as Hajiya Belkisu Mahmoud slumped and died in his office, stating that the woman died half an hour after being rushed to the hospital.

 Also, a medical doctor attached to the Government House, Minna, also corroborated the governor’s claims, saying that the woman was rushed to the hospital alive but died 30 minutes later at the Intensive Care Unit of the Minna General Hospital.

 Recounting the incident in Government House during the inauguration of the board of the Niger State Geographic Information Systems, (NIGIS) at Ladi Kwai Street, Minna, Aliyu said “the woman came into my office panting, I thought it was because of the staircase she climbed but she told me that she was sick and had a heart problem.

 “She came to lay some complaints on some issues in the state and as she was speaking, she started coughing. When the coughing did not stop, I sent for an ambulance which came and took her to the hospital. Contrary to reports which said I left the office immediately, I want to state here that I was in the office till late in the evening waiting to hear report about her health,” Aliyu explained.

 He stated further that to honour the fond memories of the late Hajiya Belkisu Mahmoud, he would look into the issues she had complained about and launch an investigation to get to the root of the matter. 

According to Aliyu, the issues she came to discuss was spread across the state urban development board, NSEMA, water board and revenue collection. The governor, thereby, sympathised with the family of the late Mahmoud, urging the Head of Service to ensure all her entitlements were paid to the family in due time.

 Confirming the incident, the Government House doctor, Dr Abdulmalik Ara, said the late Mahmoud had cardiac asthma, stressing that her lungs was filled with fluids which made the oxygen being administered to her not to have effect.

 He said that she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit where she was being treated but she passed on 30 minutes later.

—Minna, Nigeria.