A sombre mood enveloped the Illelar Yari (Old Prison) area of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area on Monday as residents awoke to the death of a 14-year-old Qur’anic student of Hisbulrahim Talamai’a Sheikh Ibrahim Qur’anic School.
The victim’s father, Hassan Guraguri, confirmed the incident to reporters shortly before the funeral rites were held.
He said his son, Salihu Hassan, was allegedly attacked around 6am by a 22-year-old resident of the community identified as Jame Jidda.
Guraguri explained that the suspect had called the boy out of the school on the pretext of sending him on an errand, after which the teenager was later discovered dead behind the school premises.
“We heard from other pupils around 7am that my son’s body was seen behind the school.
We rushed there and then took him to Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, where doctors confirmed he had died as a result of an attack,” the grieving father said.
He added that funeral prayers were conducted at the school by Imam Muhammadu Nagujiya before the remains were interred at the Birnin Kebbi main cemetery.
Spokesman for the Kebbi State Police Command, CSP Nafi’u Abubakar, confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, noting that the suspect had been apprehended by officers from the Birnin Kebbi Division.
He said “an investigation has commenced to determine the motive behind the attack and ensure justice is served.”