Niger police arrest two for alleged ritual murder

Police in Niger State have arrested two suspects in connection with the  alleged ritual killing of a four-year-old boy at Lapai Local Council of the state.

Spokesperson for the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement, yesterday, said one Hussaini Ibrahim, aged four, male, of Anguwan Hausawa area of Lapai was on May19 reportedly missing.

According to him, on May 20, one Mubarak Yunusa, aged 27 of Magaji primary school area, Lapai, was sighted with a strange sack, heading towards a stream in the area.

“Upon the receipt of the information, Police operatives attached to Lapai Division arrested the said Mubarak Yunusa.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he dumped a dead body packaged in a sack at a river within Lapai area. Mubarak said the sack was given to him by the landlord of his shop, one Emannuel Okuagba, who resides in Lapai.

“ In the course of investigation, Mubarak led a police team to the river, where a decomposed body of the said missing boy, concealed in a bag was recovered and taken to the General Hospital, Lapai, for autopsy.

“The second suspect, Emmanuel was equally arrested and the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, Monday Bala Kuryas, ordered for a thorough investigation as the two suspects were transferred to the State Criminal investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Minna for discreet investigation.”

Abiodun said an angry mob was however, mobilised to Lapai Police Division, demanding the release of the suspects for them to be lynched, but as their efforts were futile, the mob stormed the shop and house of the suspects and set it ablaze.

The spokesperson said the case is under investigation and the suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution immediately after investigation.

MEANWHILE, the Command has arrested five suspects for conspiracy and job racketeering. Abiodun explained that on May 20, based on a tip off that suspected syndicate of job scammer(s) were sighted at a hotel in Minna, documenting some applicants for employement into the National Examination Council (NECO) Headquarters, and on the receipt of the information, Police operative attached to intelligence unit of the command swung into action and arrested the suspects.

Also, on May 21, police operatives attached to Chanchaga Division arrested one Lawali Abubakar, 16, of Kasuwan-Gwari, Minna.

The suspect was arrested at Chanchaga cemetery when he attempted to exhume a corpse from the grave. During interrogation, he confessed to have conspired with one Salisu of same address, now at large, to get body parts and cloth of a corpse from the cemetery at the rate of N5, 000.

He added that the suspect was equally engaged in a similar act last year at Bosso cemetery, where he exhumed and removed four fingers of a corpse.

The Police said the suspect confessed that he was sent by one Sadiq to get the fingers and was paid N3, 000. Efforts to apprehend Hamisu and Sadiq are ongoing, and the suspect will be prosecuted after investigation, the police added.