Incessant snakebites: Katsina varsity hires snake charmers

The authorities of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina have engaged the services of snake charmers to rid the campus of snakes and other dangerous reptiles.

Sources said the step followed the death of a final year Economics student, Zainab Umar, last Monday after she was bitten by a snake three days earlier.

The Dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Kankara, equally confirmed the hiring of the snake charmers to Northern City News on Sunday.

He said, “Yes, we have employed the services of snake charmers to assist us in ridding the campus of snakes. Although the snake charmers just began work, plans had been in the pipeline to hire them.

“We normally hire the snake charmers whenever we get report of presence of snakes on the campus. It is unfortunate that the lady died. We know we tried our best to prevent her death.”

Kankara maintained that Umar was taken away from the institution’s health centre by her friends and her brother despite pleadings with her mother to allow her to continue her treatment on the campus.

He added, “Zainab was bitten by a snake on Friday evening and she was promptly treated at our health centre. I spoke with her mother on phone on Saturday that she should be allowed to continue her treatment.

“I later checked the clinic on Saturday evening only to learn that her friends and her brother had taken her away from the clinic against medical advice.

“They did not sign any document to secure her release. We later learnt of her death on Monday morning. May her soul rest in peace.”

The deceased had since been buried in her hometown, Dandume, Katsina State.Punch