Three children have died in Didango Geita village, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Contrary to the claims of some of the villagers, Taraba State Police Command said the children did not die from a blast caused by improvised explosive device on Saturday.
The police commissioner David Iloyonomon said the three children who died were playing with a Dane gun on a tree. He said gun powder from the Dane gun later exploded and killed them.
According to him, four other children playing under the tree were injured with one seriously affected and receiving treatment at the state’s specialist hospital located in Jalingo, the state capital.
“One Danjuma Audu gave the information to the police that there was an explosion which resulted to the death of three youngsters and injury to four others.
“On the receipt of the information, we deployed the anti-bomb unit of the Nigeria Police Force who rushed to the scene, conducted a professional and thorough search and discovered that no exhibit is related to dynamite or IED recovered from the scene.
“Instead, they recovered pallets from a Dane gun which was evident in the bodies of the casualties and suspected to be responsible for their death.
“Since there was no assailant, it is suspected to be an accidental discharge,” Iloyonomon said.
The police commissioner identified the three deceased children as Miracle Danjuma, 11; Liyacheyan Bitrus, 12; Kefas Bitrus, 11.
Those who sustained injuries include Joseph Danjuma, 8; Leah Aluda, 8; Godbless Hassan, 7; and Christian Hassan, 7; who happen to be the grand children of Danjuma Audu, the owner of an irrigation rice farm.
