Tragedy struck in Zangon Kaya, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, as four young men lost their lives after drowning in a blocked waterway while attempting to swim.
The Kano State Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Saminu Abdullahi. According to Abdullahi, the agency received a distress call at approximately 1:48 p.m. on Friday from a local resident, Rabiu Yusif, who reported that four individuals had fallen into a drainage system.
Narrating the events leading to the tragedy, Abdullahi said two men initially entered the blocked waterway for a swim but became trapped. A third individual who attempted to rescue them also got stuck, followed by a fourth who suffered the same fate while trying to assist.
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A rescue team was promptly deployed to the scene, and with the help of local residents, two of the victims were retrieved. The remaining two were later recovered by the fire service personnel.
Unfortunately, all four were confirmed dead upon retrieval. They have been identified as Bashir Sani, 28; Nasirudden Tasi’u, 25; Usman Ubale, 26; and Yakubu Muhammed, 22.
The fire service attributed the cause of death to drowning in what it described as “local swimming in a blocked sewer,” and issued a warning to residents to refrain from swimming in unsafe or poorly drained areas, especially during the rainy season when water levels can rise unexpectedly.
The agency emphasized the importance of public awareness and community safety to prevent similar tragedies in the future.