By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Two brothers have been arrested by the Nigerian Police for burying a 16-year-old Abubakar alive in Zaria Kaduna State.
According to reports, the incident occurred over a heated disagreement which arose when a phone went missing.
However, the incident which went viral on social media and was condemned by the public, drew the attention of the authorities in the state which led to the arrest of the brothers.
Investigation revealed that the culprits were Abubakar’s brothers who were enmeshed in a misunderstanding due to a missing phone in Abuja where they worked.
Abubakar was to return to Zaria after they had agreed to pay him, but they later trailed him back to Zaria where they buried him alive as a form of torture to confuse the issue of the missing phone
While confirming the urgly incident, the Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development in Kaduna State, Hajiya Rabi Salisu said the incident was quite shocking and disturbing.
According to her; I’ve never seen someone buried alive apart from in film.
This boy, Abubakar, a 16 year old was buried by his brothers because of a missing phone.”
“They dug a hole, tied his hands backwards and sealed his mouth. They buried him, leaving only his head outside covered with rags inside an abandoned property near a farm. It was a good samaritan who heard the boy coughing that,,,raised alarm which attracted other farmers that rescued the boy, as contained in the video which went viral in social media.”
The culprits were a 22-year-old and his brother, an 18-year-old who were arrested by the police. We would be going to court after their investigation. The Government would not take it lightly,in the protection of children’s rights and….others whose rights are violated in Kaduna State,” Rabi told the BBC Hausa Service.
In his reaction, the Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan confirmed the incident and….assured that the culprits were cooling off their heads in the police net, noting that an investigation over the act was on progress before they would be taken to court.