A high school student was fatally struck by a stray bullet during Fire Festival (Bugum Chugu) celebrations in the Northern Region on Saturday, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement of firearms regulations during traditional festivities.

The victim, identified by local authorities as Fatima, a student at Bimbilla Senior High School, was killed instantly when she was shot in the neck. The bullet is believed to have been fired by a reveler discharging a small arm in celebration.

The annual Fire Festival, marked across northern Ghana, is known for its elaborate displays of fire and fireworks—often accompanied by celebratory gunfire. Despite warnings issued in advance by local authorities and national regulators, witnesses reported widespread use of firearms and explosives during the event.

Security personnel transported the victim’s body to a local morgue as police launched an investigation into the incident. No arrests had been made as of Sunday.

The fatal shooting comes days after the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons issued a public advisory urging communities, particularly in the northern sector to refrain from displaying or discharging firearms during the festival.

“Firearms are not toys, and their misuse endangers lives,” the Commission said in a statement signed by Acting Executive Secretary Dr. Adam Bonaa. “Unauthorized possession and firing of guns is illegal and punishable by law.”

The Commission emphasized that the spirit of the Fire Festival should be preserved without resorting to violence or endangering public safety.

Saturday’s incident has ignited public outcry, with residents and civil society groups pressing for tougher controls on small arms and stricter enforcement of regulations during cultural events.

The police say investigations are ongoing, and they are urging the public to report any information related to the shooting.

Source:TheDotNews