The Niger State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps has arrested a four-man syndicate suspected to be ritualists after they gang-raped a 13-year-old JSS 1 student.
The gang was also alleged to have cut off the manhood of a three-year-old boy in the state.
The NSCDC operatives said they were on a manhunt for the witch doctor, Baba Sada who, they said, directed the suspects to get the male genitals for a charm to make them immune to gun shot or knife attacks.
The Second-in-Command of the Niger State NSCDC, Abdulhamid Kabara, who made this known on Tuesday while parading the suspects and their victims disclosed that luck ran against the suspects after the 13-year-old Fatima Usman escaped from an uncompleted building they took her to in the outskirt of Pandogari in Rafi Local Government Area.
“A girl of about 13 years old named Fatima Usman, a JSS 1 student of Government Day Secondary School Pandogari had an encounter with a gang of notorious boys who specialized in raping, maiming, and killing of school children. Fatima Usman reported the matter to the school principal, Mohammed Aketa, after having received several threats from one of the gang members.
“On Thursday, 2nd May 2024, the principal however informed the security operatives about the development and a strategy was put in place, using the girl as bait, it worked out perfectly as the man threatening the girl’s life was arrested. The arrested person identified himself as Aliyu Amiru, (M), 20 years of age, in the course of investigation mentioned other syndicate members.
“Fatima Usman revealed that the arrested Aliyu Amiru and his syndicate members abducted her sometime in 2022, blindfolded and took her to an uncompleted building on the outskirts of the town. She added that the syndicate took turns in raping her and while she was still in captivity, a little boy of less than 2 years old was brought in and in her presence, his manhood was cut off.
“She was asked to cooperate; otherwise she would be met with the same fate as the boy’s. She was laid flat on the ground and a needle-like substance was used to prick the surroundings of her navel and lower abdomen, and the mutilated genitalia of the little boy were rubbed over the pierced area of her navel, mixing her blood and that of the boy, after which it was dropped inside a little sack. She however managed to escape, and they chased her, but they stopped chasing her when she ran into a burial ground,” Kabara said.
The NSCDC deputy Command gave the names of the other members of the syndicate as Suleiman Gambo (M) 19; Yusufa Muttala (M) 22; Rabiu Muttala (M) 33; Ahmed Bako (M) 45 and Jibrin Ibrahim (M) 35.
He revealed that the syndicate had been apprehended and taken to the NSCDC Divisional Office of Rafi.
Kabara added that the case had been forwarded to the Intelligence and Investigation Department at the NSCDC Niger State Command Headquarters for further inquiry.
He said, “The syndicate also confessed that they drugged the girl and took turns in raping her while she was in a state of drowsiness. They also said the reason for their involvement in that act was because one Baba Sada asked them to bring a male child’s genitalia concocted as directed; he assured them of using it to produce a charm that would protect them against dangerous weapons such as a bullet, machete, dagger, knives, etc.