‘How my 24-year-old granddaughter died after writing her will’

Alhaji Musa Rabo Danhassan is the grandfather of Sekinat Muhammad Dalhat, a corps member who died on her way to Katsina State on the second day of Sallah. In this interview, Alhaji Musa described his granddaughter as calm and gentle, adding that her death was shocking, especially as she left a note on how to share the little things that belonged to her, as if she had a premonition of what awaited her on the way. 

How would you describe your granddaughter?  

Sekinat Muhammad Dalhat was a 24-year-old youth corps member in Katsina State. She was scheduled to pass out in June 2022.  

She got her first degree in Chemistry (Education) at the Federal University, Kashere in Gombe State. Her parents stay at Ungwar Dosa in Kaduna State. 

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Since she was posted to serve in Katsina, she had been staying in my house. She travelled to Kaduna as the month of Ramadan was drawing to an end to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with her parents after she had spent several months here in Katsina.  

With her passing out drawing closer, she felt that spending the Sallah holidays in Kaduna would be the last of her visit there while serving, but Allah made it to be her last in this world. 

When did she leave Kaduna? 

She left Kaduna for Katsina on Tuesday, May 3 after receiving a text message from a colleague that they would hold their monthly clearance on May 4. 

Do you have the knowledge of how Sekina’s death occurred? 

The accident happened about 20 kilometers to Katsina, in a village called Yar Kadir, immediately after the dam on the Kaduna-Katsina Road in Rimi Local Government Area. 

The road that passes through the village is replete with potholes, so the driver hit one of it and the rear tyre burst. The driver lost control of the vehicle, thus forcing it into another hole and the front tyre of the ill-fated Sharon bus exploded. 

My granddaughter and two other passengers died on the spot while injured passengers were evacuated to both the Rimi General and Orthopedic hospitals. According to information received, five persons lost their lives from that particular accident. May their souls rest in peace and may Jannatul Fiddaus be their final abode, Ameen.

It is said that your granddaughter wrote a will; what did she write?

She wrote the will on April 17 during Ramadan when she was about to go to Kaduna for Sallah holidays. The content of the will is for us to give her laptop to her younger brother, Khalifa Muhammad Dalhat; her phone to her younger sister, Zinatu. That money she left with one Abdul should be given to her mother, and another Malam Umar Dahiru Waziri will give her to be forwarded to Usman Dahiru Waziri.

Did she state why she wrote the will?

No. We were not aware that she wrote a will until after her death when we saw it. It was one of her cousins who lived with her that brought the sheet that contained the will. The cousin told us that when she asked her why she was writing, she said she should leave her alone and mind her business.

What will you miss about her?

Allah bestowed her with a good character and very gentle soul. For the past few months she stayed in my house, nobody reported anything that would have required my intervention or caution. She didn’t have a questionable character.

Her death really saddened the family, but we leave everything in the hands of Allah. Everyone that came to condole with us had a good opinion of her. Where she was working, they also praised her behaviour. And she was not concerned with the things of this world. She led a simple life.

I was told that on the day she left Kaduna, she went to every room in her father’s house to bid them farewell. He father has four wives. 

I will like to use this opportunity to pray for people travelling on the road, as well as appeal to the relevant authorities to do the needful on this road, which has claimed many lives.