JUST IN: Military Confirms 14-Year-Old Girl Killed by Stray Bullet in Borno, Launches Probe
The military has confirmed the death of a 14-year-old girl in Maiduguri, Borno State, and announced that an investigation into the incident has commenced.
According to reports, the teenager was struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) on Saturday in the Costain area of Maiduguri.
In a statement on Monday, the spokesperson for the Theatre Command, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said five suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.
“The troops of Operation HADIN KAI, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have arrested five suspects linked to the unlawful use of firearms during a social event,” the statement read in part.
“The incident occurred at about 2:00 p.m. on 4 April, 2026, when vigilantes, later identified as members of an escorts team attached to the Chairman of a Local Government Area, engaged in sporadic firing into the air during a wedding celebration at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Teachers Staff Quarters.”
Uba noted that troops acted swiftly to trace and apprehend the five suspects, identified as Muhammad Husaini (28), Abba Jiddu (25), Abba Kolo Mohammed (20), Ali Adam (20), and Nura Mohammed (18).
“The suspects are currently in custody and will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with extant laws,” he added.
The statement condemned the act, describing it as “highly unprofessional, unauthorised, and a clear violation of established regulations governing the handling and use of firearms.”
“Uba stressed that the CJTF “operates strictly as a support group and is not permitted to engage in indiscriminate use of firearms under any circumstances, particularly within civilian environments.”
“A comprehensive investigation has been initiated in collaboration with relevant state authorities, including the Office of the Senior Adviser on Security to the Borno State Government, to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the Maiduguri incident and ensure that all those found culpable are brought to justice,” Uba said.
He added that while the general security situation in the affected areas remains calm, troops have maintained heightened vigilance to preserve law and order and expressed condolences to the victim’s family, assuring the public of the military’s commitment to justice, accountability, and civilian protection.
