Mentally ill man lynched in Suleja over child theft

A mentally ill man residing at Hayin-Nasara area of Suleja LGA of Niger State was yesterday lynched after he was mistaken as a child thief. City & Crime learnt that the victim, Nasiru Mustafa, had migrated to the area from Gidan-Busa, near Katari community, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway about five months back due to insecurity […]

A mentally ill man residing at Hayin-Nasara area of Suleja LGA of Niger State was yesterday lynched after he was mistaken as a child thief.

City & Crime learnt that the victim, Nasiru Mustafa, had migrated to the area from Gidan-Busa, near Katari community, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway about five months back due to insecurity challenges there.

Ibrahim Ahmad, one of the victim’s neighbours, explained that the late Mustafa, who operated a grains store, developed mental illness recently and that he was billed to be taken back home along with his wife and two children following security improvement in their community.

He said on the day of the lynching Mustafa was holding one of his daughters and moving towards their home in a strange manner, only to be confronted by some residents who accused him of stealing the child.

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Ahmad further said, “Mustafa’s landlady intervened but the mob turned on her but she was rescued. The mob accused her of trying to shield a child thief.”

Contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Sabon-Wuse, CSP Lateef Biodun, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had identified the suspects who were however on the run, but that effort to get them was on.