A grieving husband in Kano State has come forward with a harrowing account of alleged medical negligence that he claims led to the death of his wife. Abubakar Muhammad accuses the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in Kano of leaving a pair of surgical scissors inside his wife's abdomen during an operation, a mistake that ultimately proved fatal.
A Fatal Surgical Error and Months of Suffering
Abubakar Muhammad's wife, Aishatu Umar, underwent surgery at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in September 2025. Shortly after the procedure, she began to experience severe and persistent abdominal pain. According to Muhammad, each time his wife returned to the hospital to report her agony, she was merely given pain-relief medication without any thorough investigation.
"They would tell her that the pain was normal for someone who had undergone surgery," Muhammad recounted, emphasizing that medical staff at the centre never recommended an X-ray or any form of scan to identify the root cause of her distress. This cycle of untreated pain continued relentlessly for approximately four months, with Aishatu's condition deteriorating.
The Shocking Discovery and Tragic Outcome
The truth behind Aishatu Umar's suffering was finally uncovered when she sought further medical help elsewhere. Comprehensive tests and scans were conducted at both the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital and the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. The results were both shocking and devastating: a pair of surgical scissors had been left inside her body during the initial operation at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre.
Despite this discovery, the complications arising from the prolonged presence of the foreign object proved insurmountable. Aishatu Umar passed away in the early hours of Monday, January 12, 2026. Her husband now holds the hospital directly responsible for her death, citing gross professional negligence.
A Pattern of Medical Negligence in Nigeria?
This tragic incident in Kano echoes other high-profile cases of alleged medical malpractice in Nigeria. The report recalls how renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her partner initiated legal action against a Lagos hospital over the death of their 21-month-old son, also citing negligence.
Furthermore, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has previously spoken out about the failures within the Nigerian health sector, revealing that his own father died due to the negligence of a private hospital where staff were unavailable during an emergency.
The death of Aishatu Umar raises urgent questions about patient safety protocols, surgical accountability, and the recourse available to victims of medical errors in Nigerian hospitals. Her husband's public recounting of the ordeal seeks not only justice for his wife but also highlights a systemic issue that demands immediate attention from health authorities and the public alike.
