Four-year-old rescued from ritualist in Lagos
A suspected kidnapper cum ritualist identified as Aliu Bashiru has been arrested by men from the Lagos State Police Command for abducting and attempting to murder a four year old girl(name withheld) in the Denton area of the state.
According to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni who paraded the suspect in Lagos, Aliu had allegedly abducted the four year old around White Sand Market, Ebute-Metta area.
The suspect was said to have been caught while he was about to slit the throat of the girl when a good Samariatan had rushed to the scene, rescued the girl and called the police who came almost immediately to the rescue.
Owoseni revealed that the girl had been reunited with her family. He said, “it is a straight forward case of kidnapping and murder, the girl was kidnapped when the mother had lost sight of her while at her shop at white sand in October, Ebutte-Meta. He was caught drawing the knife to slit the throat of the girl.”
Two other suspects, Akilu Isah and Abdulahi Salisu, who are brothers to the suspect were also arrested in connection with the case.
When asked to tell his own side of the story, Bashiru could not express himself in English.
Isah who is 36 year-old and claimed to be the brother to the suspect said, “we are all from Sokoto State. I sell suya at Apapa Area. Aliu is my brother he has mental issues from his childhood. It keeps coming at intervals but in the last five years he had been stable. He also sells suya at Otto. But it was very surprising that on that Friday, the illness resurfaced. While we were trying to arrange the meats for the days business, he pushed the whole table away and took the knife and started acting funny.
“He dragged the young girl whose mother sells close to us and was about to slaughter her. That was when they rushed to call Salisu to come and see his brother. Salisu helped to rescue the girl and handed over the girl to someone for safety and took the knife from him. But people came to the rescue and quickly whisked the four year old girl out for safety.
“He bit one of the people who tried to hold him down on the hand and it bleed terribly. People wanted to Lynch him but I begged them saying he wasn’t in his right senses and advised they call the police. Which they did. ”
The Commissioner of police also stated that the suspects will be charged to court accordingly.
Similarly, a Three man suspected kidnap gang were on Wednesday apprehended inside a tunnel at the Challenge area of Mushin, Lagos state.
One of the suspected kidnapper was set ablaze by Irate mob while two others were rescued by the police from being lynched.
According to reports, the tunnel where the kidnapper were found leads to an old company.
Also, syringes believed to be used in injecting their victims with sedative drug, old cloths and underwear were also discovered in the hideout.
Owoseni condemned the act of jungle justice as five suspects were arrested for burning to death one of the suspected kidnapper at Mushin.
“One of the suspects was lynched but the other two are in custody and five person suspected to have taken part in the indecent act of jungle justice were also arrested.” Owoseni said.
