By Deborah Nnamdi
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.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, April 4, when the secondary school student was struck by a bullet while inside her home.
Reacting to the development, Amnesty International called on Nigerian authorities to launch an investigation into what it described as the reckless use of firearms that led to the teenager’s death.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the organisation said the shot was allegedly fired by soldiers celebrating at a nearby event centre.
A family friend of the victim disclosed that the girl had been preparing to attend the same wedding before the incident occurred.
“She lived in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital quarters with her family and was indoors when the tragedy happened,” the source said. “She had just finished applying henna for her mother and herself, joyfully preparing for a family wedding scheduled for that same day.”
The rights group described the killing as entirely preventable and stressed the need for accountability.
It further revealed that the victim was buried on Sunday at the Maiduguri graveyard, noting that her family and friends have been left seeking answers over the circumstances surrounding her death.
Amnesty International called for a transparent, impartial, and effective investigation, urging authorities to take urgent steps to safeguard civilian lives and prevent a recurrence.
The organisation also warned that the continued misuse of firearms in civilian areas poses serious risks and must be addressed through strict enforcement and accountability measures.
