From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Suspected ritualists have killed a one and half year old baby in the Bauchi State capital, and removed some parts of his body.
The lifeless body of the boy was found in a hole with his tongue nose and eye removed.”
The State government and the people of Bauchi state were shocked by the death of the baby named Muhammad Zainul Abidin.
In his account of the incident The boy’s father, Mallam Alqasim said that since his son was declared missing eight days ago, his body was found in a ditch in the school where his mother was studying in Bauchi.
Alqasim said that his son late Muhammadu Abidin’s was born on March 25, 2022, he was healthy when his mother went to school.with him, she was attending NCE course, on that fateful day she took him yo their school and God did not intend for him to return home.
Alqasim said that after they went to school, a friend of mine called me and said that they have been calling me on my phone for a long time, but it was not going and they said that your son was declared missing , his mother searched for him but did not find him.
He said the principals of the school reported to the police, and we also informed the police.
He said that since he was declared missing, “every morning, I tried to find him. I was told that we may find him there on Saturday or Sunday. I went there on Saturday and I did not see him until Sunday. I was called by my friend Alhaji Sagir, he told me that the child had died. he was told that his eyes were pulled out, also from his nose to his mouth were also pulled out and there were nothing but worms. Did they give him painkillers for the 16-month-old boy before they removed all these organs from his face? Or they just forcefully removed everything I queriedhe burst in tears, so we took him and dressed him. and performed his funeral according to islsmic rite.
On her part, the boy’s mother said
“I always goes to school where I’m studying my National Certificate in Education (NCE) here in Bauchi Metropolis.
On Saturday 19th/08/2023 we went to school together with Abidin. I was in the class writing a test. He went outside to play and I went to bring him back he still did the same thing and I went and bring him back for the second time, the third time that he went outside I was almost through with the teat so I decided to finishing it before going out to bring him back.
After I was through I went outside to look for him but I could not find him. I saw his shoes put across one of the classes windows and I thought he was there, I went in and asked but no body seems to set his/her eyes on him and I went round all the classes but could not find him then I came back to our class and asked my classmates weather he has come back but they said they’ve not seen him.
I then came back and report the situation to our lecturer and he directed all the students to went round looking for him in which all of them did so, the boys in our class went across the culverts and all the classes we went round with my female classmates but yet no one seems to find or saw him.
I went and report the situation to our dean students affairs and he immediately went to the community leader house and the nearest police station and reported the incident that occurred. He encouraged me to calm down that in sha Allahu he will be found.
After lingering for a while and there was no report or news of his whereabouts he then asked me to call Abidins father to inform him of the incident but his line was swutched offe then I call his close friend Alhaji Sherif and he came immediately we went round the school again but he was no way to be found.
Reports went round the Bauchi metropolitan of the sadden news Abidin was missing , we intensified prayers and searching for him across community leaders residence, police stations and other places but still he was not found until on Sunday when we received a call that Abidin was found but he was not alive (death).
I was shocked because I’ve never thought or imagine that Abidin will not come back alive. I was so devastated and worried. I went outside and saw people that have heard about his sudden demise condoling me. Because of the nature of how his body was found he was taken to the burial ground and was buried according to Islamic rights”.
The Governor of Bauchi State Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed led the delegation to the family of the deceased to condole them .
Governor Bala described the act of his death as unacceptable, atrocious, brutal, barbaric and condemnable where he called on the security agency to heighten and amplify efforts in bringing the perpetrators to book.
Governor Bala instructed the immediate closure of the school that the incident occurred so as to deepen the investigation and those found guilty the law most take it’s cause on them.
The Governor condoles with the family for such an unfortunate incident and calls on them to remain calm and that he would never allow the incident to just go like that.
The Commissioner of Police Auwal Musa Mohammed calls on the public to remain calm assuring them that the perpetrators will surely be brought to book because all efforts have been in place to avert such incidents and bring the perpetrators on book.
Governor Bala was accompanied by the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police Auwal Musa Mohammed, SSG, Chief of staff, commissioners, and other political appointees.
