A 13-year-old pupil has been killed and another teenager injured after security personnel opened fire while dispersing striking students who had blocked the Koboko-Oraba Road in Koboko Municipality.
The deceased, identified as Ramathan Buruga, a pupil at Nuru Islamic Primary School and resident of Gbulagbulanga Cell in Teremunga Ward, was reportedly struck by a stray bullet and died on the spot during the Wednesday evening incident.
Another victim, 16-year-old Hamid Mahazim of Dikasinga Cell, sustained a gunshot wound to his left foot and is currently receiving treatment at a health facility.
According to Police, the shooting occurred at around 7:30am when a joint team of officers from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) responded to reports that students had barricaded the busy Koboko-Oraba Road during a strike.
West Nile Regional Police spokesperson SSP Josephine Angucia said the students allegedly turned violent and began pelting stones at security personnel while damaging a police patrol vehicle.
"The officers responded to information about a group of rowdy students who had blocked the road. As security personnel attempted to restore order, the students allegedly started stoning officers and damaging a patrol vehicle. In the process of dispersing the crowd, shots were fired and unfortunately a stray bullet struck the deceased while another person sustained injuries," Angucia said.
Preliminary findings indicate that the unrest involved students from St. Charles Lwanga College, who reportedly moved onto the roadside and became involved in confrontations with road users, members of the community and security personnel.
Police described the death as unfortunate and said investigations had commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding both the strike and the shooting.
"We regret the loss of life and injury that resulted from this incident. Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive of the strike and the circumstances that led to the death and injuries. We call upon students to channel their grievances through school administrators and relevant leaders instead of engaging in strikes that can turn destructive and fatal," Angucia said.
The case has been registered at Koboko Police Station under SD Ref 59/24/06/2026.
The incident is likely to reignite debate over the use of force in managing civil disturbances, particularly those involving students.
It also raises fresh questions about crowd-control procedures and the deployment of live ammunition during operations in populated areas.
Residents and parents in Koboko Municipality have expressed shock over the death and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
Police have meanwhile condemned student unrest, warning that strikes often result in destruction of property, disruption of learning and, in some cases, loss of life.
The death of the young pupil, who was not identified by authorities as one of the striking students, has cast a shadow over the municipality and left many residents demanding accountability as investigators work to establish exactly how the fatal bullet was fired.
