In what residents have described as one of the most horrific crimes in recent memory, the Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Isiaka Hassan, for the cold-blooded killing of a 5-year-old boy, Abba Bashiru, in Tingno, Lamurde Local Government Area of the State.
The tragedy unfolded on August 30, 2025, when the boy’s devastated mother, Hadiza Bashiru, raised the alarm that her son had gone missing after last being seen in the company of the suspect.
Police operatives, led by the Divisional Police Officer of Tingno, swung into action and arrested Hassan. During interrogation, the suspect made a chilling confession: he had conspired with an accomplice — still at large — to kill the little boy and bury him in a shallow grave.
The community was thrown into mourning when the child’s corpse was exhumed. Witnesses described the scene as heartbreaking, with many wailing uncontrollably.
“This is not just murder, it looks like ritual killing,” a resident who identified himself as Ibrahim told SaharaReporters. “How can a grown man take the life of an innocent boy and bury him like an animal? We want justice, and we want it fast.”
Another resident, Aisha, weeping bitterly, said: “This could have been anyone’s child. What happened to Abba is evil. The government and police must ensure this man and his accomplice never walk free again.”
The Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, has directed the State CID to intensify the manhunt for the fleeing suspect, assuring the public that justice will not be delayed.
Police spokesperson, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, in a statement, condemned the act as “barbaric and inhuman” and promised that the Command would do everything possible to bring all those involved to book.
The gruesome killing has sent shockwaves across Adamawa, with calls mounting for the authorities to secure speedy prosecution and deliver justice for young Abba.