Kano Police Probe Death of Maimuna Sani Salisu, Set Up Special Panel After Petition Over Conflicting Accounts

 

Kano, June 19, 2026— The Kano State Police Command has constituted a Special Investigation Panel to probe the death of Maimuna Sani Salisu, a 13-year-old JSS 2 boarding student of St. Louis Secondary School, Kano, following a formal petition alleging conflicting accounts about the cause of her death.

The petition, dated June 17, 2026, was submitted by Nakudu Law Partners, solicitors to Mrs. Nusaiba Rabiu Dan Sheriff, the deceased’s mother.

Petition alleges conflicting narratives  

According to the petition, school authorities informed the parents on June 13, 2026, at about 7:20 pm, that Maimuna was ill and had been taken to International Clinic, Kano. Her elder sister arrived at the hospital at 8:19 pm and was told by the attending doctor that the student had been confirmed dead. She was buried on June 14, 2026, in line with Islamic rites.

The family alleged conflicting explanations regarding the cause of death. While the school initially stated that she died of an asthma attack after being late to the mosque, other testimonies received by the family claim she was punished by senior students through flogging and forced prolonged kneeling for refusing to sweep, which allegedly worsened her condition.

The petitioners asked for a thorough police investigation to establish the true cause of death and ensure accountability.

Special Investigation Panel inaugurated

Upon receipt of the petition, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, PhD, SFIPMA, MNIM, MNIPS, MASIS, directed that the matter be treated with utmost diligence, transparency, and strict compliance with the rule of law, in line with the Inspector-General of Police’s pillars of Intelligence-Led Policing, Strict Accountability, and Human Rights Compliance.

A Special Investigation Panel, SIP, has been set up and is being led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, DCP Shehu Idris. Officials from the Kano State Ministry of Justice have also been included as members of the Panel to provide legal guidance and oversight.

The SIP has commenced investigations. As part of preliminary inquiries, the following persons have been formally invited and are cooperating with the Panel:  

1. Three teachers of St. Louis Secondary School — one male and two females  

2. Three students of the school — all females and senior students of the deceased  

3. Two witnesses — two females with relevant information on the incident  

Statements have been obtained and medical, forensic, and other evidentiary processes are ongoing to establish the exact cause of death and the circumstances surrounding it.

Police assure transparency

The Kano State Police Command, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, assured the family of the deceased, the school community, and the general public that the investigation will be thorough, impartial, and transparent. The Command said anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law, while those exonerated will be cleared accordingly. Findings and recommendations of the Panel will be made public at the conclusion of the investigation.

The Command also appealed to members of the public, especially the school community, to volunteer credible information that can assist the investigation. All information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality.

The Police commiserated with the family of Late Maimuna Sani Salisu and prayed that Almighty Allah grants her soul eternal rest and the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

The statement was signed by CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, ANIPR, MNISMA, FNACSP, Police Public Relations Officer, for the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Police Command.