A tragic firearm incident in Udubo village, Gamawa local government council of Bauchi state, has claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy, Mubarak Mohammed, after he allegedly pulled the trigger of a loaded Dane gun belonging to a local hunter.
The incident, which occurred on weekend , has raised fresh concerns over the dangers associated with the careless handling and storage of firearms, particularly in communities where hunting remains a common activity.
The Bauchi state Police Command confirmed the incident and announced the arrest of the owner of the firearm, 35-year-old hunter, Suleiman Hamza, in connection with the boy’s death.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in the state.
According to the police, Hamza had returned from a hunting expedition at about 4:30pm on the day of the incident and allegedly left his loaded Dane gun inside his room before going out.
The deceased, who was said to be from the same address, later entered the room and allegedly pulled the trigger of the firearm.
The action reportedly caused the gun to discharge, leaving the teenager with fatal injuries.
“Subsequently, a teenager, Mubarak Mohd ‘m’, 13 years old, of the same address, allegedly entered the room and pulled the trigger, causing the gun to discharge and inflicting fatal injuries on him,” Habib stated.
Following the shooting, detectives attached to the Gamawa Divisional Police Headquarters were immediately mobilised to the scene to commence preliminary investigations and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Mubarak was subsequently evacuated to the General Hospital, Gamawa, where a medical doctor on duty confirmed him dead.
The police said photographs were taken as part of the preliminary investigative process before the deceased’s remains were released to his relatives for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
The command said the firearm owner had been arrested and that preliminary investigation had been concluded. The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet and further investigation.
While the police did not disclose whether the suspect would face specific criminal charges, the transfer of the case to the State CID is expected to facilitate a more detailed examination of how the loaded firearm was stored and whether negligence or other factors contributed to the fatal incident.
The death has also highlighted the potential consequences of leaving loaded firearms in locations accessible to children and other unauthorised persons.
Reacting to the incident, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, expressed sadness over the boy’s death and cautioned hunters and other firearm owners to exercise utmost care in the handling and storage of weapons.
The Commissioner, according to the PPRO, urged firearm owners to ensure that their weapons are properly secured and kept completely out of the reach of children.
He stressed that responsible firearm handling and safe storage are essential to preventing avoidable deaths and other tragic incidents in communities across the state.
The incident serves as a grim reminder that a firearm left loaded and unsecured can turn into a deadly hazard within seconds, particularly when children or other persons unaware of the danger gain access to it.