The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 17-year-old boy, Auwalu Muhammad, for allegedly plucking out the eyes of his seven-year-old sister, Rukayya Muhammad, for suspected money ritual purposes.
The horrifying incident occurred on October 17, 2025, in Wailo town, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson for the command, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday, describing the act as “inhuman, heartbreaking and deeply disturbing.”
According to the police, the teenager deceitfully lured his sister into a nearby bush before attacking her and gouging out both eyes. She was later rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, for urgent medical attention.
Sadly, an ophthalmologist at the hospital confirmed that the young girl had lost her sight permanently.
“The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested one Auwal Dahiru, aged 17, for attacking his younger sister, Rukayya Muhammad, aged 7, with the intent to kill her and remove her eyes for ritual purposes,” Wakil said in a statement.
He added that five others — Mohammed Rabiu (19), Saleh Ibrahim (20), Nasiru Muhammad, Hassan Garba, and Garba Dahiru (43) — were also apprehended in connection with the crime.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect committed the act after being influenced by a group that allegedly promised him instant wealth if he could provide human body parts.
“The victim’s father told police that his son lured his younger sister into the bush, attacked her, and removed her eyes. During interrogation, the suspect and his accomplices confessed to the crime,” the police spokesman said.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough probe, assuring that all those involved will face the full weight of the law.
The police further urged parents and community leaders to step up moral guidance and vigilance, warning against the rising trend of ritual-related crimes among youths, which it described as “a dangerous, barbaric and senseless pursuit of wealth.”
