Tragedy struck Tudun Kusa village in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday after three children died inside a pit latrine while attempting to retrieve a mobile phone.
The victims, identified as Najjashi, Mohammed and Ashafa, were aged between 12 and 15.
They reportedly entered the pit one after another in an attempt to recover an Android phone belonging to a resident, identified as Murtala, who had offered a reward of N1,000 to anyone who could retrieve the device.
The councillor representing the area, Hashimu Muhammad, disclosed the incident while speaking to reporters, explaining that the three children were from different families.
According to him, Najjashi, the youngest of the victims, aged about 12, was the first to enter the pit after hearing about the reward. However, he failed to respond after going inside.
Muhammad said Mohammed, 13, who witnessed the incident, subsequently entered the pit in an attempt to rescue his friend but also failed to come out.
He added that Ashafa, aged about 15, later insisted on entering the pit to find out what had happened to the other two children, despite efforts by residents to stop him.
The councillor explained that the pit was originally a well that had dried up before being converted into a latrine.
In a desperate attempt to determine what was happening inside the pit, residents reportedly lowered a chicken into it following a suggestion by an elderly member of the community. However, the bird also died.
The bodies of the three children were eventually recovered with the aid of a hook and subsequently buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
The pit latrine has since been sealed off.
Residents who spoke to reporters described the incident as an unprecedented tragedy, saying the deaths had thrown the community into mourning.
One of the residents expressed shock over the incident, saying the village had never experienced such a tragedy.
A three-day mourning period has since commenced in Tudun Kusa village in honour of the deceased children.
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