BY ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI, KANO
A 15-year-old boy, Umar Ali, has been reported dead in open water at Bela Quarters, Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.
A witness, Safiya Adamu, disclosed that the victim, with other children in the neighbourhood, was swimming in a dam when the incident occurred.
Safiya said, “They were swimming and shouting, catching their fun. Suddenly, some of them were shouting ‘Umar is drowning.’
“They all ran away from inside the water. It was around 9:36am; I used my phone to call the fire service emergency number for help. The men later arrived and removed his corpse from the open dam.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, told The Point that the Service received an emergency call from Bela Quarters about a drowning teenager.
He further confirmed that the 15-year-old-boy named Umar Ali, who fell inside the dam, was rescued unconscious and was later confirmed dead.
His corpse was reportedly handed over to his brother, Musa Sani.
Also, a 17-year-old student of Kano Government Secondary School, Aliyu Zakariyyaa, has been reported dead while swimming in open water in Gwale Local Government Area of the state.
The Point gathered that the victim, with other students from neighbouring schools, regularly went to the river to swim after school hours.
Abdullahi also confirmed the incident, saying that the accident happened at the Promise Open Water in Kabuga Gwale Local Government Area, at about 10:45am on the fateful day.
According to him, the team that was dispatched to rescue the victim arrived the scene around 11:00am.
“The victim was rescued unconscious. Later, he was confirmed dead and his body was handed over to his father, Zakariya of Dorayi Quarters,” he said.
He lamented that the reports of deaths as a result of swimming in open waters without having formal training had reached an alarming rate.
“I will use this opportunity to advise the general public to be vigilant about the movement of their children, more especially in local swimming ponds or other dangerous places,” he advised.
