9-yr-old shot dead during election in Kaduna

A nine-year-old girl has been killed by a stray bullet from a Nigerian Army officer at Gwanki Ward, Makarfi LGA, Kaduna during the local government election September 4.

Yahaya Gwanki, an eyewitness who spoke to the Daily Trust,  said the stray bullet was discharged in an effort to disperse a crowd.

According to him, the soldier was invited by the candidate of the All Progressive Congress in the election, Kabir Maiyere.

Mayere was said to be discussing a malfunctioning machine with an electoral officer in one of the polling units, but other voters got angry, and protested.

“Maiyere then invited a soldier who shot in the air and in the process, the girl was hit and died,” Gwanki said.

But the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, said military personnel were not allowed to be at the polling units.

He said the police would arrest the suspects, investigate the matter and brief the press.