Teenager Fatally Shoots Friend While Playing with Father's Gun in Niger State

The Niger State Police Command has taken into custody a vigilante member, Danladi Baba, along with his 16-year-old son, Emmanuel Danladi, in connection with a case of negligent homicide that took place in Suleja.

In a statement released on Friday, March 13, 2026, the police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, reported that Emmanuel shot his friend, Titus Joseph, aged 15.

As per the police report, the two boys were engaged in play on March 1 when Emmanuel accessed his father's dane gun and discharged it, striking Titus in the stomach.

The statement provided details of the event, stating, “On 1st March, 2026 at around 6 PM, a report was made to Maje Division indicating that Emmanuel Danladi, 16 years old, from Kwamba-Suleja, was playing with his friend Titus Joseph, 15 years old, in their residence. During this time, Emmanuel picked up a loaded dane gun belonging to his father, Danladi Baba, 51 years old, who serves as a member of a local vigilante group, and shot Titus at close range, resulting in his death.”

Following the incident, police officers were dispatched to the scene, where they retrieved the body and transported it to the general hospital in Suleja. Emmanuel and his father were both arrested on charges of negligence and culpable homicide.

The recovered dane gun is now in police custody, and both suspects, along with the firearm, have been sent to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for thorough investigation and prosecution.