The three suspects were at the Police Command HQ in Bauchi State.
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi
Three suspects, who allegedly removed the two eyes of a 16-year old boy in Bauchi State have been arrested by police operatives.
The two eyes of the boy have also been recovered by the police.
NATIONAL ACCORD had reported that the Bauchi State Police Command, on Friday said that the boy’s two eyes were plucked out by a man, who the suspect identified after he lured him to work on his farm.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, in a statement said that the suspect deceived the victim, Uzairu Salisu, a resident of kwanan Gulmammu, Jahun Quarters area of the Bauchi metropolis, to his farm to work for him; and while on the farm, the suspect, a resident of Rafin Zurfi, area of the metropolis, attacked him and used a cable to remove his two eyes.
He said that the ward head of Birshi, Mohammed Lawal, called the Police to inform them of the incident and a manhunt for the suspect immediately began.
But in a statement made available to journalists on Monday, the Command’s Spokesman, Wakil, revealed that the suspect was arrested along with two of his accomplices, adding that the two eye balls of the minor were recovered from the house of the suspect.
According to him, the suspect whose identity he gave as 32-year old Isaac Ezekiel of Rafin Zurfi area of the metropolis.
“In furtherance of our commitment to streaming down crime and criminality, the command has made adequate use of intelligence gathering towards continuous maintenance of law and order and this has yielded positively.
“Sequel to the case of a suspected ritualist who plucked the eyes of a minor, during the terrifying incident which occurred in the Jira Mountain Yelwa area of Bauchi Metropolitan, the suspect Isaac Ezekiel, male, (32) of Rafin Zurfi Yelwa Bauchi Metropolitan has been arrested, where he voluntarily confessed to the unfortunate crime.
“A prompt search of his house by the Police led to the recovery of Uzairu Salisu’s eyeballs.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspect are: the two human eyeballs in a calabash, cable wire used in perpetrating the heinous act and a travelling bag containing some native medicines,” he said.
According to him, the other two suspects arrested alongside the prime suspect, Isaac Ezekiel are: Nensok Bawa, male, (38) of Kabwir District Kanke Local Government Area Plateau State and Yohana Luka, AKA Doctor Samu, (52) of Golbong Village, Amper District in Kanke LGA of Plateau State.
He said that findings revealed that the principal suspect Isaac Ezekiel conspired with the two suspects in April 2022, to conceive the idea to commit the atrocity of getting the eyeballs of a human being.
Wakil said: “On 24th June 2022 at about 0900hrs the principal suspect Isaac Ezekiel lured one Uzairu Salisu ‘M’ 16yr of Jahun Bauchi Metropolitan into a nearby bush for a casual job on his farm.
“The suspect, Isaac Ezekiel used a cable wire to strangulate Uzairu Salisu into a coma and use a knife to remove the two eyes for a ritual purpose.
“Investigation into the unfortunate incident is in progress, after which the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.”
The police spokesman revealed that the “task has not been an easy one,” but in line with the constitutional mandate of the police, “we shall remain fierce, tireless, and relentless in committing ourselves to the safety and security of lives and property of the people of Bauchi state and the country at large.”
