Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to investigate the alleged reckless use of firearms by military personnel that led to the death of a 14-year-old girl in Maiduguri, Borno state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the rights organization.
It said the secondary school student was killed on Saturday, April 4, after she was hit by a stray bullet inside her home.
Amnesty International said the shot was reportedly fired by military personnel engaged in celebratory gunfire during a wedding ceremony at a nearby event centre.
A family friend of the victim said the teenager had been preparing to attend a wedding celebration when the incident occurred.
“She lived in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) quarters with her family and was inside her home when the tragedy occurred,” a source was quoted to have said.
“She had just finished applying henna for her mother and herself, joyfully preparing for a family wedding scheduled for that same day.”
The organisation described the killing as preventable and urged authorities to ensure accountability.
Amnesty International said the victim was buried on Sunday at the Maiduguri graveyard, adding that her family and friends are “left seeking answers for a death that was entirely preventable.”
The group called for a “transparent, impartial and effective investigation” into the incident to safeguard lives and ensure justice.
The military and police authorities are yet to comment on the issue
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