19-year- old Aliyu Mohammed Yakutchi has been arrested for selling his six- year- old brother, Yamusa Ibrahim Yakuchi, for N20, 000 to a suspected ritualist whose whereabouts is currently unknown.
Aliyu, who confessed to the crime at the headquarters of the Niger State Police Command in Minna, said he sold his brother to get money to finance his wedding to his fiancé who he called Fatima.
The suspect said he has been under pressure to get married and do not have the money to finance his marriage, confessing that he saw the idea of selling his brother as a means to get money.
He said the brother is the last child of the family.
The suspect, who identified the buyer as Legbo, said he handed his brother over to the buyer, who is from Afuwagi village in Agaie local government area of Niger State, on the condition that the buyer should pay the suspect after the victim must have been used for money rituals.
Some concerned citizens who heard of the development alerted police detectives attached to Kataregi Division who promptly arrested Aliyu.
However, the buyer allegedly escaped with the victim when he learnt of the police intervention.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muhammed Abubakar, said police is on the trail of the fleeing ritualist, adding that no stone would be left unturned in rescuing the little boy and bringing the buyer to book.
He said: “Investigation by the police anti-human trafficking section at the State Criminals Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Minna revealed that on May 19, 2018, the said Aliyu Mohammad Yakuchi sold his six- year- old younger brother by name Yamusa Ibrahim Mohammed Yakuchi “m” of the same address for ritual purposes to one Legbo, “m” of Afuwagi village at the rate of N20,000.00 with an agreement that that he (the first suspect) will be paid if the victim started vomiting money.”