By Ado Oyeyemi
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with separate incidents involving the death of a four-month-old baby and the alleged killing of a 60-year-old woman accused of witchcraft.
The incidents occurred on September 24, 2026, in Zirami, Azare, and Kuka Buni in Gadau District of the state.
In the first incident, police said a 20-year-old woman reported at the Azare Divisional Police Station around 10pm with her four-month-old daughter, Fatimah Muhammad, who had been found lifeless.
The woman reportedly told the police that she had left the baby sleeping at home while she went to a neighbour’s house to have her hair done.
According to the command, she returned to find the child unresponsive and allegedly saw her husband, 27-year-old Muhammad Garba Ladan, coming out of the room.
The baby was taken to the General Hospital, Azare, where a doctor reportedly confirmed that she had died from strangulation. The police subsequently arrested Ladan for questioning.
The mother also alleged that her husband had previously made several unsuccessful attempts to kill the child, according to the police.
In a separate incident, police arrested 25-year-old Haruna Amadu for allegedly attacking 60-year-old Hafsatu Ya’u in Wasari Village, Gadau District.
The command said Amadu allegedly accused the woman of witchcraft and blamed her for the illness of a woman identified as Maryam Amadu.
Police alleged that the suspect attacked Hafsatu with a knife, stabbing her in the chest and other parts of her body before cutting her neck. She was later pronounced dead by a medical doctor.
The command said both suspects remained in custody as investigations continued, adding that the cases would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Bauchi for discreet investigation.
The state Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the incidents and warned residents against taking the law into their own hands, particularly in cases involving allegations of witchcraft.
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The commissioner also condemned jungle justice, witchcraft-related killings and violence against women and children, urging residents to allow the police and other relevant authorities to handle suspected criminal cases.
