A 19-year-old hunter is feared to have been killed after he was reportedly hit by a bullet from his own gun following an accidental discharge in the Alkahira Quarters of Gombe State.

It was learnt on Sunday that the incident occurred at about 5pm on Boxing Day at the venue of a wedding ceremony.

A counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who shared details of the incident on X, disclosed that the victim, identified as Tanko Abubakar, had attempted to fire his loaded Dane gun into the air.

The gun was said to have malfunctioned, and while Abubakar tried to examine it, it accidentally discharged.

Makama added, “However, the weapon got stuck, and when he negligently looked through the muzzle, it accidentally discharged, with pellets striking him on the head.

“He was rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Gombe, where he was confirmed dead, and his body was deposited at the hospital morgue. His relatives were notified.”

When contacted on Sunday via a telephone conversation, the Gombe State Police Public Relations Officer, Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed the incident.

He noted that the victim had attempted to fire into the air when the gun got stuck, and while he tried to look into the muzzle to ascertain what had happened, it discharged and struck him on the head.

“Yes, the incident happened within Gombe metropolis. The deceased was joining his friend in a marriage celebration.

He was trying to fire a shot into the air, but unfortunately, the Dane gun got stuck. He tried to look into the muzzle to ascertain what had happened, but the gun fired and hit him on the head.

“Immediately the police received the information, we went to the scene and evacuated him to the nearest medical facility, where he was certified dead.

“This was an accidental discharge, and we call on members of hunters’ groups and local security outfits to always exercise caution while handling locally fabricated guns, Dane guns, or pump-action firearms used in their day-to-day activities,” Abdullahi said. (The PUNCH, but headline rejigged)