Hunter guns down 17-year-old boy he allegedly mistook for an animal in Cross River

A 17-year-old boy, identified as Ferdinand Afor, was shot dead by a hunter in the forests of Wula in the Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The tragic incident happened on Wednesday evening, August 16, 2023, when Afor and his friends pitched a tent with some hunters to gather wild ukazi leaf (gnetum africanum) for sale to raise income in preparation for their New Yam festival.

“They slept with the hunters and while he left to pick ukasi, the hunters went to hunt. And at about 7:00 PM, a hunter shot him and claimed he thought it was an animal,” Ofre John, a native abreast of the matter said.

The hunter, unnamed, a native of the neighboring Okwango community also in Boki, turned himself over to the Bateriko Division of the Nigerian Police Force where he is currently detained.

Ofre said this has dampened the mood in the community.

He also disclosed that the Okwango community visited the Wula community for discussions on the way forward.

“They are expected to bring three mature goats, one small one and three cocks on Monday, to discuss how to carry out a cleansing,” he added.