A tragic incident unfolded in Adamawa State on Sunday, May 25, 2025, when a senior police officer, Inspector Musa Kampani, lost his life after being struck by a stray bullet during a routine patrol.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:00 a.m. along the Song–Gombi Road in Song Local Government Area, during a stop-and-search operation conducted by officers of the Safer Highway Patrol team under the Adamawa State Police Command.
According to police sources, the operation was part of regular security measures aimed at curbing the movement of illegal arms and preventing criminal activity in the region. During the exercise, the patrol team intercepted a tricycle transporting a male passenger who was dressed in civilian clothing but found in possession of a Dane gun — a locally fabricated firearm.
The officers engaged the passenger in questioning to ascertain his identity and authority to carry the weapon. However, the individual reportedly failed to provide any valid identification or official documentation permitting him to carry such a firearm. This raised suspicions among the officers and escalated tensions at the scene.
As the situation grew tense, it was reported that members of the Hunters and Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), who had apparently received information about the encounter, mobilized to the location.
Upon arrival, rather than assisting in de-escalating the situation, some of the JTF members began discharging their firearms indiscriminately into the air — a move that caused panic and further confusion among all present.
Amid the chaos, a stray pellet from one of the gunshots fired struck Inspector Musa Kampani. His colleagues immediately responded, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Song led a reinforcement team to the scene. Inspector Kampani was urgently transported to the Cottage Hospital in Song for emergency treatment. Sadly, medical personnel pronounced him dead on arrival.
His body has since been deposited in the hospital’s morgue, where an autopsy will be conducted to formally determine the cause of death and provide forensic evidence for the ongoing investigation.
In the aftermath of the incident, law enforcement authorities moved quickly to restore order. The Commander of the Hunters/Civilian JTF in the area, Adamu Zubairu, was arrested at the scene in connection with the unauthorized use of firearms and the events that led to the officer’s death. A manhunt is currently underway to locate and apprehend other members of the task force who fled the scene following the shooting.
The Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has commenced a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police have pledged to ensure that all individuals found culpable will be brought to justice, and that measures will be implemented to prevent a recurrence of such a tragic event.
Inspector Musa Kampani’s death has sent shockwaves through the law enforcement community and has highlighted the risks security personnel face in the line of duty, as well as the need for coordinated efforts and discipline among all security operatives working together in volatile areas.