A 14-year-old girl has been killed by a stray bullet allegedly fired by military personnel during celebratory gunfire at a wedding in Maiduguri, Borno State, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, April 4, reportedly happened while the teenager was inside her family home in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) quarters.
Reacting, Amnesty International condemned the incident and urged Nigerian authorities to investigate what it described as reckless handling of firearms in civilian areas.
According to the organisation, the fatal shot was allegedly fired by soldiers celebrating at a nearby event centre.
A family source said the victim had been preparing to attend the same wedding before tragedy struck.
“She lived in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) quarters with her family and was inside her home when the tragedy occurred,” the source said.
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“She had just finished applying henna for her mother and herself, joyfully preparing for a family wedding scheduled for that same day.”
Amnesty International described the killing as avoidable and demanded justice for the victim, noting that she was buried on Sunday at a cemetery in Maiduguri.
The group said the girl’s family and friends are “left seeking answers for a death that was entirely preventable.”
It called for a “transparent, impartial and effective investigation” into the incident, stressing the need for accountability and stronger safeguards to prevent a recurrence.
The organisation also warned against the continued misuse of firearms in populated areas, saying such actions pose serious risks to civilian lives.
