The Taraba state police authorities have confirmed an explosion from a dane gun, which children were playing with in Didango Geita village of Karim Lamido Local Government Area.
The police said the explosion resulted in the deaths of three children and injuries to four others.
The state Commissioner of Police, David Iloyonomon, refuted the earlier assertion that an improvised explosive device (IED) caused the children’s deaths.
He clarified that the three children were playing with a dane gun on a tree when the gunpowder detonated, resulting in their deaths.
He also stated that four other children playing under the tree were injured, with one sustaining fatal wounds and undergoing treatment at the state’s specialist hospital in Jalingo, the state capital.
The police boss said: “One Danjuma Audu gave the information to the police that there was an explosion which resulted to the death of three youngsters and the injury of 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 den 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.”
He further revealed that the scene of the incident have been cordoned and investigation is still ongoing to unravel more facts.
