An elderly man has been taken into custody on suspicion of sending someone to kidnap a newborn and gouge out his eyes as part of a ceremony.
The Bompai Police Station’s agents captured Malam Yahaya, a member of the Utoro community in Kano State, when someone he allegedly “hypnotized” was caught trying to kidnap the child.
The police were directed to Yahaya’s home by the “hypnotized” individual, Kabir Sani, where they discovered fetish objects such as an inscription-adorned calabash, red and white clothing, and a variety of charms.
Sani said, “My name is Kabir Sani. I reside in Utoro, and I am 25 years old. I came to visit Malam because I was not feeling well. He gave me some medicine with water and told me to use my urine for three days.
“After I came back, he gave me ‘Tulare’ perfume and Hantu. Immediately, my brain shut down, and I was not myself. Anything he told me to do, I did without questioning his authority.
“He told me that he would give me N1 million, but he asked me to go and find a child whose eyes he would remove to use in preparing a charm for a soldier to make him disappear.
“I went to my sister’s house and told her everything Malam Yahaya asked me to do. I told her that I wasn’t myself anymore. I tried to find an 8-month-old child who lives in our house.
“Unfortunately, I was unable to bring the child because if I had, Malam Yahaya would have removed his eyes.”
“I’m pleading with people to help me beg Malam to return my senses to normal,” Sani added.
