Elderly Woman, 96, Found Dead in Pit Toilet Days After Disappearance in Kano

The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of a ninety-six-year-old woman, Habiba Ado, who tragically fell into a pit toilet in Sarai Village, located in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement released by the spokesperson of the service, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi, the agency received a distress call at about 9:27 a.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from a resident identified as Usman Adamu.

Abdullahi explained that the distress call reported the tragic fall of an elderly woman into a pit toilet, also known locally as a suckaway, in Sarai Village, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.

“The Kano State Fire Service under the leadership of the Director, Alhaji Sani Anas, received a distress call from Usman Adamu reporting that a woman had fallen into a toilet pit in Sarai Village in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area,” the statement read.

Upon receiving the call, a rescue team was immediately dispatched to the scene. When they arrived, they discovered that the woman had already died.

Relatives of the deceased told officials that she had been missing for four days before her body was discovered. They also said that she had been suffering from mental illness.

The rescue team recovered her body from the pit and handed it over to the ward head of Sarai Village, Musa Muhammad, for proper burial according to Islamic rites.

In a message of condolence, the Fire Service urged residents to take preventive measures by covering open pits and toilet holes within their homes and communities to avoid similar tragedies. The agency emphasized that such incidents could be prevented through simple safety precautions, especially in households with elderly or mentally challenged persons.

The incident has caused sadness in the community, with residents describing it as both heartbreaking and preventable. Many have also called for increased awareness on home safety, particularly for vulnerable individuals.

The Kano State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to responding quickly to emergencies and advised residents to always report incidents promptly using the available emergency numbers.