Tragedy struck Mariga Town in Niger State as a 30-year-old man, identified as Basiru Umaru, allegedly killed a six-year-old boy, Aliyu Muhammed, by drowning him in a nearby river.
The heartbreaking event happened around 9:00 p.m. on June 28, when Umaru, believed to be mentally ill, reportedly lured the unsuspecting child to the riverside.
Community sources disclosed that the suspect tied the boy’s hands and feet before throwing him into the river, resulting in the child’s death by drowning.
The boy’s parents had earlier reported him missing. Shockingly, it was Umaru who later led them to the riverbank, where the child’s lifeless body was discovered and retrieved.
Police officers arrived at the scene and moved the body to a medical centre for an autopsy.
Meanwhile, residents ensured the suspect was restrained from further contact with the public, pending professional psychiatric examination to determine his mental state at the time of the crime.