About seven people have been reported dead after drinking tea suspected to have been prepared with a local leaf called Zakami at a wedding in Kano.
It was gathered that Zakami which was rich in psychoactive substances left also several others hospitalised on Tuesday in Sheka, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
However, a witness identified as Sanusi Yahaya who claimed to be an elder brother of the bride, suspected that the tea was not only made with Zakami but also with different types of drugs.
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He said it had become a norm for the young people in the area, especially drug addicts to cook tea during ceremonies and that they hide under that to take drugs.
Yahaya said:
“They cooked the tea and they themselves didn’t even know the number and types of drugs that were inside to the extent that some had to abandon it. But some of them insisted that they must drink from the tea, saying that their brains can take it.
“After drinking the tea, two people died, some have recovered while others are hospitalised.”
Another witness, named Abdullahi Muhammad confirmed as of Tuesday seven people had died.
He further clarified that some of those hospitalised were uninvited guests who were only interested in the tea.
Muhammad said:
“We don’t know the exact number for now, but in the morning seven were confirmed dead. Some of them were not even invited to the wedding, they just came to disguise and take their drugs.”
It was learnt that most of those who drank the tea and got intoxicated were guests who came to the wedding from different parts of the State
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna said the command and the Divisional Police Officer in the area there was no such report brought before them but they only heard about the incident.
Haruna said:
“Even though we heard about the incident but up till now nobody reported it to the DPO or the State command.”
It was learnt that the groom couldn’t be reached for comment about the incident as he was said to be on the run along with others.
