13-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shoots Self Dead in Bauchi, Hunter Arrested

A 13-year-old boy, Mubarak Mohammed, has died after he entered a neighbour’s room and pulled the trigger of a loaded Dane gun left behind by a hunter who had returned from hunting in Udubo village, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The hunter, Suleiman Hamza, has been arrested as police warn firearm owners to keep weapons out of children’s reach.

A Tragedy That Should Never Have Happened

ValidViewNetwork gathered that a 13-year-old boy, Mubarak Mohammed, has died after he entered a neighbour’s room and pulled the trigger of a loaded Dane gun left behind by a hunter in Udubo village, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The incident occurred on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at about 4:40 p.m., when Suleiman Hamza, a 35-year-old hunter, returned from hunting and left his loaded Dane gun inside his room before going out.

The boy, who was the son of a neighbour, allegedly entered the room and pulled the trigger, causing the gun to discharge and inflict fatal injuries on him.

A Life Cut Short

The police received a report regarding the matter around 9:00 p.m. from a 50-year-old man in the village.

A team of detectives attached to Gamawa Divisional Headquarters was immediately mobilised to the scene.

ADVERTISEMENT

The victim was rushed to the General Hospital, Gamawa, where the medical doctor on duty confirmed him dead.

Photographs were taken, and the remains were released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites.

The Hunter Arrested

The hunter, Suleiman Hamza, has been arrested and is currently assisting the police with their investigations.

Preliminary investigation has been concluded, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for more investigation.

Police Warn Firearm Owners

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, cautioned hunters and other firearm owners to handle weapons with utmost care and keep them out of the reach of children to prevent avoidable loss of life.

He urged firearm owners to ensure that their weapons were kept safely and out of the reach of children.

A Lesson for Nigerian Youths

This tragedy is a stark reminder that a moment of carelessness can cost a life.

A hunter left his loaded gun unattended, and a 13-year-old boy is now dead.

For young Nigerians, the lesson is clear: safety is everyone’s responsibility. An important rule of ballistics that I recall from my undergraduate ballistics and firearms course at FUNAAB is to treat every firearm with caution even when you know it’s not loaded.

If you own a firearm, secure it properly. If you see something dangerous, report it.

Be responsible. Protect the vulnerable. And never forget that a child’s life is too precious to be lost to carelessness.