Four Men Tragically Die After Drowning in Blocked Waterway in Kano State

In a tragic event in Kano State, four young men have lost their lives after drowning in a clogged waterway located at Zangon Kaya within the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area. The heartbreaking incident occurred on Friday, July 18, 2025, drawing significant attention to the dangers of swimming in unsafe and obstructed waterways.

It all began when two of the victims entered the stagnant water channel to swim but unfortunately became trapped. In a desperate attempt to save them, a third person jumped in but suffered the same fate. Tragically, a fourth individual also joined the rescue effort but got trapped inside the blocked waterway as well.

The Kano State Fire Service reported that local residents managed to retrieve two of the bodies before the rescue team arrived at the scene. The fire service personnel subsequently recovered the other two victims.

All four victims were found unresponsive and later officially declared dead. The deceased have been identified as:

• Nasirudden Tasi’u, aged 25
• Bashir Sani, aged 28
• Yakubu Muhd, aged 22
• Usman Ubale, aged 26

The bodies were subsequently handed over to the police for further examination and investigation into the incident.

According to the official statement from the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the cause of the tragedy was linked to the victims swimming in a waterway obstructed by accumulated debris and water. This blockage was caused by ongoing railway construction activities in the surrounding area.

Abdullahi advised residents to avoid swimming in unsafe or restricted water channels to prevent similar fatal accidents in the future. He emphasized that construction zones, especially those with water accumulations, should be approached with caution.

This unfortunate event serves as a reminder for residents and local authorities to ensure that water channels are cleared, especially in construction sites, to prevent such disasters.