Kano youth sets self ablaze over inability to pay NECO fee

A 20-year-old man in Kano State has set himself ablaze after his effort to raise money to pay for his Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by the National Examination Council (NECO) failed.

The incident happened last week Tuesday in Garo town of Kabo Local Government Area of the state.

Reports said the man, identified as Danladi Shu’aib, had previously written the exams three times but failed all attempts, while this year he could not even raise the money to register for the exam.

A resident of the area, Ya’u Ahmad Garo, confirmed to Daily Trust that late Danladi had on many occasions threatened to commit suicide if he failed to write the exam because he wanted to further his studies, but that nobody took the threats serious.

He also said that Shu’aib was later rushed to hospital after setting himself ablaze, but died two days later.

Similarly, another resident of the area and a neighbour of the deceased who pleaded anonymity said, “On that fateful day, Danladi, who used to go and work in a mechanic’s garage, after getting his pay for the day, used it to buy fuel, and later entered one room in their house, poured it on himself and set himself ablaze.

“However, he later started crying for help, and people were able to put it off and take him to hospital. But, two days after (on Thursday), he died as a result of the burns he sustained from the fire,” the source added.

Reports also said late Shu’aib was able to raise half of the amount but gave it away when he couldn’t complete it.

Meanwhile residents have flayed a politician in the area for promising to pay the exams fees for all students this year, but failing to fulfil it.

This, according to them led Shu’aib alongside other less privileged ones not to get any assistance as whoever intended to pay for them would be told that the politician had already done so for all of them.