The Police on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of a 30-year-old man, Hamza Umar, for allegedly setting a young girl, Hafsat Bala, ablaze over alleged witchcraft.
The Bauchi State Police Command disclosed this in a statement signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil.
Wakil said Umar, 30, was arrested for causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit an offence with culpable homicide in the state.
He added that the suspect, after being arrested, said part of the reasons for perpetrating the crime was because the victim threatened to kill him and planted items suspected to be diabolic charms at his residence in the Rafin Albasa area of the state.
Wakil noted: “According to the narration by the accused, Hamza Umar, the victim, Hafsat Bala, invaded his residence in the Rafin Albasa area of Bauchi and walked around the premises.
He asked her what brought her into his compound and in response, the girl told him that she was sent by her eldest sister to kill him.
“He explained that Umar tried to send her away from his compound but she resisted, claiming that she was asked to bury some charms at the corner of his house.”
Wakil stressed that the suspect further asked her to remove what she claimed to have buried in his compound but she refused.
He said it was at this point that Umar became furious and poured her kerosene and set her ablaze in his compound, claiming she was a witch.
The state Police Public Relations Office added that on receiving the information, a team of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer rushed to the scene and took the victim to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for immediate medical attention.
Wakil said a discreet investigation had been instituted to unravel the exact circumstances that led to the incident, adding that at the end of the investigation, the suspect would be charged.
He added that nobody has the right to treat a human being in such a barbaric manner, saying it was wrong for anyone to assume the position of a law enforcement agency.
Wakil wondered why the suspect did not hand over the girl to the police or any law enforcement agency for investigation.