Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Commissioner of Police in Yobe State, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, has ordered a thorough investigation into two separate cases of alleged murder and child cruelty that have shocked communities in Bursari and Jakusko Local Government Areas, with three suspects now in police custody. The directive, contained in a press release issued by the Command's Public Relations Officer, ASP Yusuf Adamu Ali, in Damaturu on Friday, October 2, 2026, came as details of both cases emerged, painting a grim picture of violence against the vulnerable and the deadly consequences of vigilante justice.
In the first case, police operatives uncovered the lifeless body of a farm worker, Inusa Abdullahi from Kazaure in Jigawa State, dumped in the bush near Rini-Kunu Village in Bursari Local Government Area. The Garin-Alkali Division received a distress call on September 30, 2026, and detectives were swiftly mobilised to the scene. The body was evacuated to the Specialist Hospital in Gashua, where a medical doctor confirmed him dead. Preliminary investigations revealed that Abdullahi's death followed an accusation of water-pump generator theft levelled against him by one Audu Auta of Rini-Kunu Village. Auta reportedly took the matter to a local vigilante member, Malah Muhammad Ibrahim, who, along with an accomplice named Abubakar Bulama, allegedly arrested the labourer and took him to a farm. There, they tied him up and beat him in a bid to force a confession. The victim died in the process, and his body was abandoned in the bush. Ibrahim and Bulama have been arrested and are being interrogated to unravel the full circumstances of the killing and the possible involvement of other persons.
The second case, which police say occurred on October 1, 2026, has exposed a harrowing instance of child abuse in Jakusko Local Government Area. Operatives of the Jakusko Division, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a 35-year-old Arabic teacher, Muktar Haruna of Garin Baduku Village. Haruna, who hails from Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State, allegedly chained the legs of a nine-year-old male pupil for about four months. The child was rescued and taken to the General Hospital in Jakusko for medical examination and necessary attention. The police said preliminary investigation revealed the prolonged restraint, which had subjected the child to untold suffering. The suspect is in custody and is expected to face prosecution upon the conclusion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, while condemning both incidents, described the acts as heinous and unacceptable. He warned residents against taking the law into their own hands and urged them to promptly report criminal acts to the police rather than resorting to jungle justice. He stressed that every human life is precious and must be protected, and that the command would not tolerate any form of violence, torture or abuse, particularly against vulnerable persons and children. He directed that both cases be thoroughly investigated and that all persons found culpable be brought to justice.
The Yobe incidents are the latest in a troubling pattern of vigilante violence and child abuse across Nigeria. In June 2026, the Yobe State Police Command arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged killing of a newborn baby girl in Damaturu, whose remains were discovered concealed in a box and abandoned behind a mosque. The Commissioner of Police at the time described the act as heinous and inhuman, stressing that every human life is precious. The recurrence of such incidents raises serious questions about the effectiveness of community-based security structures and the protection of children in a region already grappling with insecurity and economic hardship.
The farm labourer's death is a stark illustration of the dangers of jungle justice. Inusa Abdullahi was accused of stealing a water-pump generator, a crime for which he was never formally charged or tried. Instead, he was handed over to a vigilante, who took the law into his own hands and beat him to death. The vigilante system, which operates in many rural communities as a complement to formal policing, has been repeatedly criticised for its lack of accountability and its tendency to become a vehicle for personal vendettas and mob violence. The Yobe case is a reminder that when communities bypass the police and the courts, the consequences can be fatal, and the innocent can suffer alongside the guilty.
The child cruelty case is equally disturbing. A nine-year-old boy was allegedly chained for four months by his Arabic teacher, a person entrusted with his education and care. The prolonged restraint suggests a level of cruelty that goes beyond discipline and enters the realm of torture. The fact that the abuse allegedly continued for months without intervention raises questions about the oversight of informal educational institutions and the vulnerability of children who are sent to live with teachers or guardians far from their families.
The Yobe State Police Command has urged members of the public to report suspected cases of abuse, violence or other criminal activities to the police and to desist from taking the law into their own hands. The command's call for cooperation is a necessary step, but it must be matched by the presence of police officers who can respond promptly and impartially. In many rural communities, the police are underfunded, understaffed and far away, which is why vigilante groups have filled the void. If the government wants to end jungle justice and protect children, it must invest in community policing, improve the welfare of its officers, and ensure that the justice system is accessible to all.
As the investigations into both cases continue, the three suspects remain in custody. The farm labourer's family is left to mourn a man who was beaten to death over a generator he may not have stolen. The nine-year-old child is receiving treatment for injuries that no child should ever have to endure. The Yobe Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough probe, and the coming days will reveal whether the investigations lead to prosecutions and convictions. For the people of Yobe State, the cases are a reminder that the rule of law must be upheld, not only in the courts but in the hearts and minds of communities that have grown accustomed to taking justice into their own hands.
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