A stray bullet has killed a 9-year-old identified as Zainab Bala-Umar at Gwanki Ward in Makarfi during the ongoing local government elections in Kaduna State on Saturday, September 4.

An eyewitness, Alhaji Yahaya Gwanki, who spoke to Online Source, alleged that the stray bullet was discharged from a military personnel in an effort to disperse the crowd after the soldier was invited by a former chairman of Makarfi local government who is also the APC candidate in the election.

According to Source, Gwanki said the APC candidate, Alhaji Kabir Maiyere had gone to one of the polling units under Fadamar Gwanki and while having a conversation with an electoral officer over some challenges of the e-voting machine, some youths had to start to shout, ‘ba ma so, ba ma so” meaning “we don’t want.”

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

Engr Auwal-bz Nuhu, the Special Assistant to Ibrahim Wusoro, the Kaduna State PDP Secretary, who posted a photo of the deceased, said she was on her way to Islamiyya school in Gwanki Ward when the incident happened.

Spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Mohammed Jalige, who confirmed the incident, said military personnel were not allowed to be at the polling units.

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