14-Year-Old Tragically Killed at Funeral Party After Accidental Discharge by Forest Guard
- A 14-year-old boy was tragically killed by an accidental gunshot during a funeral party in Ilesa, Osun State
- The shooting, allegedly involving a Nigerian Forest Security Service operative, triggered panic and led to multiple injuries
- Police have arrested two individuals and launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident
A 14-year-old boy was fatally shot during a funeral party in Ilesa, Osun State, after a security operative allegedly discharged his firearm in error.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday at the Oke Ero Area of Ilesa, prompting immediate police intervention and public concern over firearm safety.
Source: Twitter
The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident in an interview with PUNCH Online on Sunday.
He stated that two individuals had been arrested in connection with the shooting and had been transferred to the command headquarters in Osogbo for further investigation.
“One person was shot dead. The deceased is a 14-year-old. It happened at a funeral party in Ilesa,” Ojelabi said.
“A guard was allegedly involved in the shooting. Three other people sustained injury. But two of those injured were discharged from the hospital this morning. The two people arrested are in our custody, and the investigation is ongoing into what happened at the event.”
Accidental discharge by forest security operative
Eyewitnesses, speaking under condition of anonymity, identified the shooter as a member of the Nigerian Forest Security Service who had been assigned to guard duty at the funeral.
They described the incident as an accidental discharge, which abruptly ended the ceremony and caused widespread panic among attendees.
One witness recounted:
“The incident was an accidental discharge because the man involved, an operative of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, was on guard duty with some of his colleagues when he released the shot.
One person was hit, and he died immediately. Some people were also injured. The shooting led to serious panic as people ran in different directions. The event came to an abrupt end after the shooting.”
Gun salute turns fatal
Further clarification was provided by Hammed Nureni, Commander of the Nigeria Forest Service in Osun State.
Nureni explained that the operative involved had travelled from Plateau State to attend the burial ceremony in Ilesa.
He confirmed that the police had taken over the investigation and urged the public to remain calm.
“They came from Jos for a burial ceremony in Ilesa. From what I was told, the shooting occurred while the guards were performing a gun salute in honour of the person who was being interred,” Nureni said.
“The operative involved, we were told, shot into the air, and by the time he was bringing down the firearm, the gun suddenly discharged again, killing one person, said to be a relation to the deceased that was being honoured with the gun salute.”
Osun police reiterate firearm safety warnings
The incident comes amid a period of declining reports of firearm misuse in Osun State, attributed to ongoing advocacy by security agencies on responsible gun handling.
In February, PUNCH Online reported that the Osun State Police Command had issued a public warning, particularly targeting hunters, about the dangers of accidental discharge.
The statement, signed by then spokesperson Yemisi Opalola, read in part:
“The Osun State Police Command is constrained to caution/sensitise members of the public, especially hunters, on the use of guns for hunting. The command is confronted with incessant cases of accidental discharge or misfiring of guns, which on several occasions have led to the death of human beings.”
The command further advised residents to avoid storing loaded firearms in their homes and to refrain from loading guns in populated areas to minimise the risk of fatal accidents.
“The Command further warned that such an unwholesome act of negligence will not be treated with levity,” the statement concluded.
Source: Twitter
Friend of officer allegedly set ablaze mourns him
Legit.ng earlier reported that a lady, Retyit Grace Dasar, emotionally mourned her friend, Samson Haruna, who was allegedly set ablaze by his newlywed wife.
It was reported that the couple had an altercation at their residence in Wellington Bassey Barracks, Ibagwa, in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
The altercation escalated, leading to Haruna sustaining burn injuries, which later took his life on October 6, 2025. On her Facebook page, Retyit Grace Dasar mourned Haruna and shared their last conversation.
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Source: Legit.ng
