It was a tragic Easter celebration yesterday as three teenagers reportedly lost their lives while four others sustained injuries while fiddling with a dane gun in Taraba State.
The victims are Miracle Danjuma 11; Liyacheyan Bitrus 12 and Kefas Bitrus 11.
Danjuma Audu, who reported the incident to the police, is the father of Miracle.
Those injured according to the Police Commissioner are Joseph Danjuma, 8; Leah Aluda 8; Godbless Hassan 7 and Christian Hassan 7. They are also Audu’s grandchildren.
The Guardian gathered that the incident, which occurred in Didango Geita village of Karim Lamido Local Council, initially sparked speculation of a possible improvised explosive device (IED) or dynamite explosion.
However, Taraba State Police Command has refuted these claims, stating that the tragedy unfolded as the children were trying out a dane gun on a tree.
The State Commissioner of Police, David Iloyonomon, clarified that the gunpowder from the dane gun detonated, resulting in the death of three children and injuring four others.
One of the injured children is reportedly in critical condition and receiving treatment at the state’s specialist hospital in Jalingo.
Police sources said one Audu alerted the authorities about the explosion, prompting a swift response from the anti-bomb unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
Upon investigation, the commissioner announced that no evidence of dynamite or IED was found at the scene, adding that “instead, investigators recovered pallets typically used in conjunction with gun powder for dane guns.”
Further inquiries, he said, revealed that the deceased children were atop the tree while in the farm, while the injured ones were on the ground, providing evidence against the possibility of an IED or dynamite explosion.
Meanwhile, the incident has thrown the community into mourning, while police said investigations are ongoing to unravel more details.
The police mourned the loss of the teenagers and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the tragic accident.
