A tragic incident occurred in Cross River State, Nigeria, on Wednesday, August 16, when a 17-year-old boy named Ferdinand Afor was shot and killed by a hunter in the forest of Wula.

The young boy was part of a group of hunters and gatherers, camping in the forest to collect wild leaves, ukazi, for sale in preparation for the New Yam festival.

The group slept alongside the hunters, but when the boy ventured out to gather leaves, he was shot by one of the hunters who claimed to have mistaken him for an animal.

After the tragic shooting of Ferdinand Afor by a hunter in the forest of Wula, the Okwango community, where the hunter was from, has been working with the Wula community to resolve the matter.

The hunter, whose name has not been released, turned himself in to the Bateriko Division of the Nigerian Police Force where he is currently detained.

Ofre John, a native of the community, stated that the mood in the community is dampened by the incident and that the Okwango community visited Wula to discuss how to move forward.