Three children have died in Didango Geita village, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State from an accidental discharge from a dane gun.
The Commissioner, Taraba State Police Command, David Iloyonomon, made this known to newsmen on Sunday in Jalingo.
The position of the Commissioner of Police runs contrary to the claim that the children died and got injured from the impact of an improvised explosive device on Saturday.
Iloyonomon said the children were playing with a dane gun on a tree when the gunpowder in it exploded.
He said: “One Danjuma Audu gave the information to the police that there was an explosion which resulted in 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 identified the three deceased children as Miracle Danjuma, 11; Liyacheyan Bitrus, 12; and Kefas Bitrus, 11.
Those who sustained injuries were Joseph Danjuma, 8; Leah Aluda, 8; Godbless Hassan, 7; and Christian Hassan, 7, who happen to be the grandchildren of Audu, the owner of an irrigation rice farm.
