A tragic and disturbing incident occurred on Tuesday in the Diga area along Panshekara Road in Kano State, where a man identified as Suleiman Muntari set himself on fire in a suspected suicide attempt.
Eyewitnesses said the man, believed to be in his 30s and originally from Niger State, poured petrol on himself and ignited it in full view of onlookers. The shocking act, they said, happened so quickly that no one could intervene in time.
“He said he wanted to go to Paradise. People thought he was joking, but before anyone could stop him, he had already poured petrol on himself and struck a match,” recounted Saminu Isah, one of the eyewitnesses.
Residents of the area who spoke to newsmen said Muntari appeared disoriented and possibly under the influence of drugs, as he was heard shouting incoherently moments before the incident.
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“He was not in his right senses”. You could smell something strong on him, and he was staggering and shouting strange things,” said Aisha Salisu, a resident of the area.
As the incident unfolded, several people tried to save Muntari. Some poured water on him, while others dragged him into a nearby drainage filled with water in a desperate attempt to extinguish the flames.
“It was like a horror movie. Some young men tried to help by dragging him into the water, but the fire didn’t stop immediately. His skin was peeling,” said Ibrahim Jafar, a local tricycle operator.
At the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident, and the condition of Muntari remains unclear.