An eight-month-old baby narrowly escaped death on Tuesday evening after being struck by a stray bullet during a security operation in a residential neighbourhood—an incident that has once again raised alarm over civilian safety during law enforcement actions.
According to the child’s mother, the incident occurred while she was in the kitchen preparing a meal for her family. The baby was reportedly playing on a mat inside the house when sudden gunshots rang out across the neighbourhood.
Eyewitnesses said law enforcement officers were pursuing suspected criminals, resulting in sporadic gunfire within the residential area. Moments later, the baby began crying uncontrollably, prompting the mother to rush to the child—only to discover that a stray bullet had hit her baby.
Remarkably, the bullet caused only a minor scratch near the child’s side rib, narrowly missing vital organs. The baby was immediately attended to and is currently alive and stable.
Overcome with emotion, the mother described the incident as a divine intervention, expressing profound gratitude to God for sparing her child’s life. Her emotional testimony, which she shared on social media, has since gone viral, sparking widespread reactions under the hashtag #The_Mother.
The incident has triggered public outrage online, with many Nigerians questioning the safety of civilians—particularly women and children—during security operations in residential areas. Growing calls are being made for stricter rules of engagement, improved operational discipline, and greater accountability to prevent future stray bullet incidents.
As of the time of filing this report, security authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
