Police probe death of 13-year-old after loaded Dane gun discharges in Bauchi
Bauchi State Police say they are investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy after a loaded Dane gun discharged inside a room in Udubo village, Gamawa Local Government Area.
According to the command, the incident happened on September 5 after a 35-year-old hunter, Suleiman Hamza, returned from hunting and allegedly left the loaded firearm in his room before going out.
Police say the boy later entered the room and allegedly pulled the trigger, causing the gun to discharge.
A doctor at General Hospital, Gamawa, subsequently confirmed the child dead.
IDNN is withholding the child’s name and unnecessary identifying details because of his age.
Gun owner arrested
Police say Hamza was arrested after preliminary inquiries and the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
His arrest does not establish criminal guilt.
Police described the manner in which the firearm was left as negligent, but that remains the command’s characterisation rather than a final judicial finding.
The investigation must still establish what legal responsibility, if any, follows from the circumstances.
How police describe the incident
Bauchi Police spokesperson Nafiu Habib said Hamza returned from hunting at about 4:30pm and left the loaded Dane gun in his room.
Police say the child later entered the room and handled the weapon.
That sequence has not been independently reconstructed by IDNN.
The case raises immediate questions about how the firearm was stored, why it remained loaded and how a child was able to access it.
Wider firearm-safety question
Bauchi Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu urged hunters and other firearm owners to keep weapons safely secured and beyond the reach of children.
That warning points to the wider public-safety issue raised by the death.
A firearm kept in a private home can become a lethal risk where access and storage are not adequately controlled.
Whether any specific law was breached in this case remains for investigators to establish.
What remains unresolved
Police say the boy died after allegedly pulling the trigger of a loaded Dane gun.
The gun owner is under investigation.
No court has found him guilty of negligence, unlawful possession or any other offence.
IDNN has also not independently established the firearm’s licensing status or whether prosecutors will bring charges.
For now, the verified publication position is limited:
A 13-year-old boy died in Gamawa LGA after a loaded Dane gun discharged inside a hunter’s room, according to Bauchi Police.
The firearm owner has been arrested and the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The investigation must now establish how the weapon was stored, whether any law was breached and what criminal responsibility, if any, follows.