An 18-year-old man, Abdullahi Aminu, has died after falling into a pond at Kofar Gabas in Danbatta Local Government Area of Kano State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, with the Kano State Fire Service receiving a distress call at about 3:28pm reporting that a young man had fallen into the pond.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, saying firefighters from the Danbatta Fire Station were immediately deployed to the scene following the emergency call.
According to the statement, the distress call was made by Aminu Lawan, who reported that his son had fallen into the pond and required urgent assistance.
“Upon receiving the report, personnel from the Danbatta Fire Station immediately mobilised to the scene to rescue the victim,” the statement said.
The emergency responders subsequently recovered Abdullahi from the pond in an unconscious state.
Despite the rescue effort, the victim was confirmed dead after being brought out of the water.
“The victim was successfully recovered from the pond in an unconscious state but was unfortunately confirmed dead,” the fire service stated.
The deceased was later handed over to the Secretary to the District Head of Danbatta, Alhaji Baba Ado Sarkin Bai, for further necessary action.
The agency expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged residents to exercise greater caution around ponds, waterways and other bodies of water.
The fire service particularly warned residents against approaching or allowing young people to play around unprotected water bodies, stressing that such locations could pose serious risks, especially during periods when water levels rise.
“We urge members of the public to exercise extreme caution around ponds, waterways and other bodies of water, particularly during this period,” Abdullahi said.
The agency also called on parents and guardians to closely monitor children and young people whenever they are around ponds, streams and other potentially dangerous water bodies.
It said increased supervision could help prevent avoidable drowning incidents and enable residents to respond quickly when someone encounters difficulty around water.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the dangers posed by accessible and unprotected ponds in rural and semi-urban communities, where residents may come into contact with water bodies during their daily activities.
Such incidents can become particularly dangerous when water bodies are not properly fenced, marked or monitored, leaving children and young people exposed to the risk of accidental drowning.
The fire service urged members of the public to immediately report emergencies involving drowning or other accidents to the appropriate emergency response agencies to ensure that rescue teams can be deployed without delay.
The agency also stressed the importance of community awareness and preventive measures, particularly in areas where ponds and other bodies of water are located close to residential communities.
The death of Abdullahi adds to concerns over water-related accidents in communities across the country, where limited safety measures and inadequate public awareness can increase the risk of drowning.
For families living close to ponds and waterways, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for constant supervision and caution, particularly among children and young people who may not fully understand the dangers associated with deep or unstable water.
West Trybe reports that the incident highlights the need for stronger community-based water safety awareness and preventive measures around unprotected ponds and waterways. Beyond emergency response, improved public education, closer parental supervision and safer management of water bodies could help reduce avoidable drowning deaths, particularly among young people.
