The first thing Yakubu Kwontold a Daily Trust correspondent when she asked him why he set ablaze an eight-year-old girl was: “the girl is a witch.”
Out of the 29 suspects paraded by the police in Plateau State for various offences, Yakubu Kwon seemed the least remorseful for his actions. His confidence grew as he responded to questions and gave a detailed account of the event that led to the death of eight-year-old Nancy Dauda on 13th June.
The state Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki, had before parading the suspects described Kwon’s offence as culpable homicide, saying the police in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area arrested Kwon after he lured the girl to his home where he poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze on allegations that she was a witch. Oki had explained that Nancy was severely burnt and rushed to the hospital but later died.
Kwon on his part, while recounting the event of that day, said he had prior knowledge that Nancy was a witch and had on several occasions reported the girl’s sinister motives to her mother who is also a native of Barkin Ladi, adding, that “the mother of Nancy is also a native of Barkin Ladi and I have reported to them that their daughter is a witch and they have been talking to her; they have tried to give her medicine and to carry her to where they can pray for her. It was not the first time I have questioned their witch craft activities, I am sorry but it has happened,” he said.
Though Kwon claimed Nancy and his own daughter, 11-year-old Teye, had been responsible for his son’s ailment, he had set ablaze Nancy and spared his daughter claiming that she had ran out of the house after he had poured kerosene on her.