Mother, toddler rescued from Kano wells

The Kano State Fire Service on Friday rescued three people, including an 18-month-old child, from two separate well accidents in Kumbotso and Warawa local government areas within the space of a few hours.

The agency’s spokesperson, Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, said in a statement that the incidents occurred between 7:06 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., with firefighters responding to both scenes and pulling out all three victims alive.

The first incident was reported in the Semegu area of Kumbotso, where an unidentified middle-aged man fell into a well. Firefighters deployed from the state headquarters found the victim unconscious upon arrival and successfully extracted him before handing him over to the Divisional Crime Officer of the Panshekara Police Division for further investigation.

The second incident, which involved a mother and her infant, occurred in Madarin Taba village in Warawa Local Government Area. A 32-year-old woman, Maimuna Shitu, and her 18-month-old son, Harisu Muntari, were rescued after both fell into a well. Fire service officials said the two were pulled out unconscious and subsequently handed over to family members and community leaders. The causes of both incidents had not been determined as of the time of the statement.

The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, used the occasion to appeal to residents to ensure that wells on their premises are properly covered and secured, adding that families should keep a close watch on children and vulnerable individuals, particularly those with underlying health conditions.

Well accidents remain a recurring safety concern across parts of northern Nigeria, frequently linked to uncovered or poorly maintained wells in residential neighbourhoods.