Two brothers, Sabo Ilu and Abubakar Ilu, who reside in Bariki village of Birnin-Kudu local government area of Jigawa state, are now in police custody in connection with the alleged murder of their grandfather, Malam Ya’u Mahadi Mai Unguwa.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Jigawa State, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Abdu Jinjiri, confirmed the story to Weekly Trust. He said they received a report on Thursday, October 9, 2008 from the family of the murdered old man that he was missing. A search efforts was launched which led to the arrest of his grandchildren.
Investigations by the police revealed that one of the deceased grandchildren, Sabo Ilu confessed to killing theoldman and burying him somewhere in a neighbours farmland. He was also said to have told the police that their action arose from the belief that their grandfather whom they accused of witchcraft, was responsible for the death of their parents (father and mother) through witchcraft about five years ago.
According to a source who wants to remain anonymous, it was one of the grandchildren of late Malam Ya’u Mahadi Mai Unguwa who went to the place where his cattle are and informed him that some visitors were waiting for him at home. The unsuspecting old man followed his grandchild even though the young boy took a different route from the one their grandfather was used to.
Weekly Trust learnt that the route, which they followed, was dark and quiet and unknown Malam Ya’u, one of his grandchildren who was lurking somewhere, pounced on him with a machete. The other grandchild who was leading the old man joined in the attack and they did not stop striking him with the machete until he could move no more. They dug a grave close by and buried him in it.
Meanwhile, the Jigawa Police PPRO, ASP Abdu Jinjiri, told Weekly Trust that the suspects accused of killing their own grandfather, have been taken to court and the police are making headway, in their investigations over the issue.
He said they are seeking permission from the court to allow them exhume the corpse of the old man for the purpose of autopsy at a competent hospital to ascertain the true cause of his death.
“From there, we hope to handover the corpse to his family so that all the burial rites approved by Islam will be observed,” he added.
The councillor representing the area told our correspondent that “the boys have taken the law into their hands. I have discussed with them and listened to all the charges of witchcraft they have against their grandfather over the death of their parents and I find them baseless.”
He said the Birnin-Kudu local government area will try to put an end to such unfortunate tendencies. He also called on the people of the area to stop taking the laws into their hands, because “the authorities are there to listen to grievances and take necessary action to punished wrongdoers accordingly.”