Tragedy at Bimilla fire festival as SHS girl killed by stray bullet
By DL News
Published
1 min read
Fatima, a second-year student at Bimbilla Senior High School, was reportedly hit as a ceremonial procession moved from the regent’s palace toward the Wampu Dam—where the traditional fire-throwing ritual was to take place.
What was meant to be a night of cultural celebration turned tragic in Bimbilla, Northern Region, when a young girl, identified only as Fatima, lost her life after being struck by a stray bullet during the annual Fire Festival.
Fatima, a second-year student at Bimbilla Senior High School, was reportedly hit as a ceremonial procession moved from the regent’s palace toward the Wampu Dam, where the traditional fire-throwing ritual was to take place.
Mohammed Abdul-Rashid Natogmah, a journalist with Beat FM who witnessed the aftermath, said news of the shooting reached the palace mid-procession. “We heard someone had been shot, so we rushed to the hospital. Sadly, it was true. I even helped in moving the body,” he recounted.
Further accounts reveal that Fatima and a female companion had allegedly defied their parents’ orders not to attend the festival. “The girl who came with the body said they sneaked out from Bayawaya, where they live. Their parents had warned them not to attend,” Mr. Natogmah said.
At this time, the source of the bullet remains a mystery, and police are yet to begin official investigations into the incident.
Prior to the celebration, the Regent of Bimbilla, Nyelimbolgu Naa Yakubu Andani II, had issued a public appeal for peaceful conduct. He urged festival-goers, especially the youth, to honour the cultural significance of the event by behaving responsibly.
This heartbreaking incident has cast a shadow over a festival cherished for its deep historical and cultural meaning.
