Two men in Nigeria lost their lives on Saturday while attempting to recover a mobile phone that had fallen into a pit latrine.
The victims, Usman Muhammed and Ibrahim Inuwa, both aged 40, died of asphyxiation in Bazabe village, Kano State, after becoming trapped inside the latrine.
The Kano State Fire Service confirmed the incident on Sunday, stating that a distress call was received by its Takai Fire Station at 11:16 a.m. from Inspector Auwalu, a local police officer.
“Muhammed had dropped his phone into the pit and entered to retrieve it, but soon became unresponsive,” said fire service spokesperson Alhaji Saminu Abdullahi.
“Inuwa then attempted a rescue by tying a rope around himself and descending into the pit, but he also became overwhelmed and trapped.”
Both men were eventually pulled out by emergency responders but were pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
The case has since been handed over to local police in Albasu, and authorities have urged the public to avoid entering confined or hazardous spaces without proper equipment or training.
