by Oge Okonkwo

A middle aged man (name with-held) in Ganji village of Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa,  has been arrested by the Adamawa Police Command on Tuesday, for allegedly beheading his five-year-old son on July 24.

Another suspect, the Ganji village head was arrested along with the victim’s father, he was said to have requested for the human head at a fee of one million naira.

The suspects were paraded  by the police before newsmen in Yola and according to the Command’s spokesman, DSP Muhammed Ibrahim, the case was reported by the victim’s paternal grandfather when he realised  the suspect took the boy to the bush but did not return with him.

PM News:

The spokesman said when Alhaji asked the suspect where he left his grandson, he replied that the deceased was on his way home.

“After a while, the grandfather and some members of the family went to the bush to find out what exactly happened.

“It was after searching the nearby bush that they discovered the dead body of the boy, which had been beheaded and dumped in the bush,’’ Ibrahim said.

He said when arrested, the suspect confessed that he committed the crime.

“When interrogated, he confessed and pointed at a village head as the one who directed him to bring a fresh human head, at a cost of one million naira,’’ Ibrahim further revealed.

He said the two suspects were under police custody for further investigation.

Answering questions from newsmen, the first suspect alleged that the district head of a village directed him to bring a fresh human skull.

He said the district head promised to give him one million naira if he delivered.

When asked why he chose to sacrifice his biological son, he replied that when the village head gave him the order, he lost his mind.

Also answering questions from newsmen, the village head in question, aged 63, denied the allegation,insisting that he had no business with the first suspect, whom he said, was not his ‘age mate’.

“I didn’t direct him (first suspect) to commit such ugly act. In fact, I was shocked when he pointed at me, that I directed him to commit the crime,’’ he said.