▪︎Was on an errand for mother
Stray bullet has killed a 14-year-old girl – the only child of her parents, at Old Welfare Road located in Igbudu community, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
A witness, simply identified as Blessing, said the incident occurred last Sunday about 7:00 p.m. when the teenager was on an errand for her mother.
The deceased, whose name was given as Aghogho, was hit by a stray bullet and later died in a nearby hospital in the community.
A row was said to have ensued among rival cult groups in the area; with soldiers manning a security post in the area intervening to restore peace.
While a witness disclosed that the stray bullet emanated from the soldiers who were mediating on the matter, another witness claimed it was from the rival cult members.
“On Sunday evening around 7:00 p.m., cultists started fighting and as the fight was going on, soldiers got involved to restore peace. The soldiers asked the boys to stop fighting but before we knew it, gunshots were fired.
“We don’t know if the gun was fired by the soldiers or cult boys. All we know is that when the gun was shot, a bullet hit Aghogho, a girl of about 14 years whose mother had sent on an errand that evening.
“Unfortunately, before we could rush her to the hospital, she had died. I know Aghogho because she used to come to my compound to meet her uncle, so her death is shocking,” she narrated.
Meanwhile, residents of Old Welfare Road have cried out over incessant activities of cult members who, at will, kill and break into people’s houses to steal valuables and commit other heinous crimes.
The command of 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun could not be reached for comment.
When contacted, the Delta Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe could not confirm the incident, but stated that the police command would take steps in dealing with miscreants in the community.