9 die in election celebrations in Nigeria's Kano

By Muhammad Tijjani

KANO, Nigeria 

At least nine people have reportedly been killed in Nigeria's northwestern Kano State amid celebrations marking the election of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria's new president.

"This morning we received nine corpses at Naibawa Hospital here in Kano," Nasiru Maigari, a medic at the hospital, told The Anadolu Agency.

"The victims were said to have died in the victory dance and some life-threatening celebrations in the aftermath of yesterday's [poll] result," he said.

Maigari added that the bodies had been brought from different areas of the metropolis.

"Three were brought in dead. Others died here [at the hospital] after having sustained terrible injuries arising from reckless celebrations," said the medic.

Ali Sufi, a native of Kano city's Naibawa district, said three people had been crushed to death when they were struck by a car that was part of a celebratory motorcade.

Another two youngsters were killed during celebrations that engulfed Kano's Hotoro area.

Masaud Badamasi, a local resident, said the young men had sustained fatal injuries during the celebrations.

"We lost two boys to the crazy celebration last night. We are getting ready to give them a burial," he told AA.

Samaila Kadiri, meanwhile, a yam seller who was part of the celebration, reported the death of at least four teenagers on the city's Kaduna road.

"Four boys who were doing stylish rides on motorcycles died as we celebrated on Kaduna road," he told AA.

"They were riding scooters and doing all manner of things when a Hilux bus hit them. They died instantly," Kadiri said.

Kano police spokesman Magaji Majia said police had not yet received any reports of the casualties, but confirmed widespread and "dangerous" celebrations across the state.

"The police don't have the casualty figure, but they have been alarmed by the reckless displays by youths during celebrations," he told AA by phone.

Majia said the casualties had forced police to sponsor radio advertisements warning those who engaged in "crazy celebrations" to be "cautious of the right of other residents."

The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has officially declared Buhari, the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of Saturday's poll.

He won 15,424,921 votes out of a total of 28,587,564 valid ballots cast, while incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan – his main electoral rival – won 12,853,162.

Buhari won 21 states, while Jonathan won 15 states, along with capital Abuja.

Kano, which gave Buhari 1.9 million votes, is considered one of the president-elect's strongholds.