Tuesday, October 20, 2026 - The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested 17 suspects over an attack on a family in Gobirawa Village, Alkaleri Local Government Area. This follows the allegation that a young man used witchcraft to cause the death of a resident.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib,
disclosed the arrests in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, the incident reportedly occurred
around 1 am on October 18, two days after the death of 20-year-old Halilu Ahmad
on October 16, 2026.
The suspects allegedly stormed the family’s residence armed
with machetes and sticks, attacking a 60-year-old man and his 30-year-old son
and inflicting multiple injuries on them.
They were also accused of damaging two motorcycles belonging
to the family.
According to the police, preliminary investigations
indicated that the attack was linked to the suspects’ belief that the younger
victim was responsible for Ahmad’s death through witchcraft.
The 60-year-old man was initially taken to General Hospital,
Alkaleri, for treatment but was later referred to Ihsan Hospital in Bauchi due
to the terrible state of his condition.
"The detectives attached to the Alkaleri Division
apprehended the suspects following the incident," the statement added.
“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the case be
transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Bauchi, for
further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the three other
suspects still at large,” the statement said.
The commissioner warned residents against acting on
unverified accusations of witchcraft or other superstitious beliefs, noting
that such claims could lead to violence and the unlawful punishment of innocent
people.
He urged residents to report suspicions, disputes and
allegations of crime to the police instead of taking the law into their own
hands.
The command assured the public it would pursue justice in
the case and would not tolerate acts capable of threatening peace and security.
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