The Kaduna state police command said two brothers have been arrested following a viral video showing a person buried alive with only his head out of the grave.
In a statement on Thursday in Kaduna, spokesperson of the command, Mansir Hassan identified the suspects in the dastardly act as Yahaya Abdulkadir, 24 and Abdullahi Abdulkadir, 18, both of Gauraki village, Kufena ward, Zaria LGA of Kaduna state.
He said their victim, Abubakar Aliyu, 20, also from Gauraki village, was buried alive by the suspects over a missing mobile phone worth N35,000.
“Sequel to a video that went viral on the internet showing a person buried with only his head left out, the police has arrested in Zaria two suspects for complicity”, the statement reads.
“Immediately the police got wind of the video, efforts were made to locate the victim and possibly arrest the culprits which yielded desired results as the victim one Abubakar Aliyu 20 years old of Gauraki village under Kufena ward Zaria was traced.
“Equally, two culpable suspects Yahaya AbdulKadir 24 years old and Abdullahi AbdulKadir 18 years old all of Gauraki village under Kufena ward Zaria, were arrested in connection to the dastardly act of burying the victim alive”.
Hassan said preliminary investigations revealed that both the victim, Abubakar Aliyu and the suspects alongside others, were working as labourers at a building construction site in Abuja when a mobile phone belonging to Abdullahi AbdulKadir, valued at N35,000
got stolen at the place they were residing.
Aliyu was said to have been accused of stealing the phone and it was resolved among the labourers that his daily wages would be used to buy another phone for Abdullahi.
The statement said, piqued by the resolution of his colleagues, Aliyu left Abuja for home.
“However, he was trailed to Zaria by the duo of Yahaya AbdulKadir and Abdullahi AbdulKadir who happened to be siblings.
“On Saturday 10th August, 2024, the two of them located him and forcefully took him to an uncompleted building, dug the ground akin to a grave, bound his hands and feet, covered his mouth with a piece of clothing, placed him inside the hole and returned the earth leaving only his head outside”, Hassan said.
According to the statement, Aliyu was left in that condition until a passerby heard his groans and alerted the public to rescue him.
The statement said the two suspects were later identified and arrested by the police.
They admitted to committing the act, saying it was a form of interrogation in connection with the stolen phone.
The statement warned against jungle justice adding that the case will be carefully investigated and handled professionally.
John Shiklam
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