Two teenagers drown while fleeing phone snatchers in Kano as urban crime concerns grow

Two teenagers have died after reportedly falling into a pond while attempting to escape suspected phone snatchers in Kano, an incident that has further highlighted growing concerns over rising urban crime in the city.

The victims, identified as 18-year-old Sadiq Isyaku and Auwal Isyaku, were said to have drowned on Monday around the Ring Road Kureken Sani area in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the Kano metropolis.

Confirming the incident, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, spokesperson of the Kano State Fire Service, confirmed the incident.

“Preliminary information revealed that the youths were trying to escape from suspected phone snatchers when they accidentally fell into the pond,” he said.

He added that emergency responders were later alerted and rushed to the scene, where they recovered the two victims from the water.

“The victims were rescued unconscious from the pond, but unfortunately they were later confirmed dead,” Abdullahi stated.

The bodies of the deceased were subsequently handed over to their father, Ibrahim Shehu, a resident of Unguwa Uku area of Kano.

The fire service expressed condolences to the bereaved family and urged residents to remain vigilant while taking necessary precautions to avoid similar incidents.

“We sympathise with the bereaved family and call on members of the public to remain vigilant and prioritise safety at all times,” Abdullahi said.

The incident comes amid increasing concerns over the resurgence of street crimes in parts of Kano, particularly phone snatching and robbery targeting pedestrians and motorists in busy urban areas.

Residents in several parts of the metropolis have recently raised alarm over suspected gangs that operate around major roads, markets and traffic points, where unsuspecting victims are often attacked and dispossessed of their mobile phones and other valuables.

Community leaders have repeatedly called for intensified security patrols and surveillance across vulnerable locations in the city to curb the activities of criminal elements.
Security agencies have also urged residents to remain alert and report suspicious movements as efforts continue to address the growing threat of urban crime in the state.