The Taraba State Police Command has stated that three children died in Didango Geita village, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of the state following a suspected “accidental discharge” from a dane gun.
The state Commissioner of Police, David Iloyonomon, stated this while refuting claims made by some villagers who attributed the deaths to an explosion from Improvised Explosive Devices, Channels TV reports Sunday.
Iloyonomon stated that the gunpowder from the dane gun later exploded and killed them.
The CP said the three deceased children were playing on a tree while four others who sustained injuries were on the ground, as they are receiving treatment at the state specialist hospital in Jalingo, the state capital.
The CP said, “One Danjuma Audu gave the information to the police that there was an explosion which resulted in the death of three youngsters and injury to four others.
“On the receipt of the information, we deployed the anti-bomb unit of the Nigeria Police Force who rushed to the scene, conducted a professional and thorough search and discovered that no exhibit is related to dynamite or IED recovered from the scene.
“Instead, they recovered pellets from a Dane gun which was evident in the bodies of the casualties and suspected to be responsible for their death.
“Since there was no assailant, it is suspected to be an accidental discharge.”
The police boss noted that the scene of the incident has been condoned, and investigation has commenced to unravel more facts.
“Further findings by the E.O.D unit revealed that the three pallets recovered are used in conjunction with gunpowder to prepare ammunition for Dane guns.
“Thereafter, we went to further to interview Danjuma Audu, who reported the incident to the police. He revealed that the three children that died were the ones on top of the tree in the farm, while the other four that were on the ground sustained injuries.
“That’s a very clear evidence to show that it is not an IED explosion, because if it were to be IED or dynamite explosion, those children on the ground and on the tree would have been shattered beyond recognition,” Iloyonomon stated.
The CP identified the three deceased children as Miracle Danjuma, 11; Liyacheyan Bitrus, 12; and Kefas Bitrus, 11.
The other four who sustained injuries include Joseph Danjuma, 8; Leah Aluda, 8; Godbless Hassan, 7; Christian Hassan, 7.