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How 12-year-old boy was rescued from being used for money ritual Monday, January 14, 2008 The quest to get rich at all cost has made some hard-hearted ones to opt for using humans for ritual. This is what happened in Bauchi State recently when a 29-year-old man was apprehended while trying to use a 12-year-old boy for money ritual. Ishola Michael reports. Abdulhamid Mohammed, convicted advertisement The love of money is the root of all evils’, goes the popular saying. This is especially true of Abdulhamid Mohammed, a 29-year-old man from Bauchi State, who loves the lifesyles of the rich and the power they wield in the society and wanted to become rich himself. With no meaningful way of striking it rich, the young man opted for the fast but dangerous route of making a fortune in life — through ritual means. After consulting with his herbalist on the best way to achieve his dream, it was stated that he needed a human being for the ritual. His problem was now how to get a human being for the money making ritual. But one day, when it was getting dark, Abdulhamid decided it was time for operation. He had with him a live black fowl he wanted to use to hynotize his victim. The opportunity presented itself when Abudlhamid saw a 12-year-old boy, Sabiu Auta, in a shop alone. Seeing that as his oportunity, he quickly rushed into the shop and used the fettish fowl on Sabiu, who immediately became unconcious. After the deed was done, Abdulhamid was faced with another hurdle on how to carry his victim out of the shop without being discovered. At this point, he was feeling uncomfortable and would occassionally move out of the shop, look around, before entering the shop again. Residents of the area, after seeing the 29-year-old man moving around the shop suspiciously, called on the police who subssquently arrested the man. The unconcious boy was also discovered in the shop, a situation Abdulhamid could not give explanations to. Speaking on how Abdulhamid, who has now been convicted to life imprisonment by the Upper Sharia court in Bauchi, was arrested, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Tafawa Balewa Estate Police Division, ASP Christiana Sidi, disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that immediately the police patrol team was informed of the suspicious movements of a man in front of a shop, policemen promptly moved in to ascertain what the man was up to. “The man was later caught with a live fowl in the shop with an consious boy. He could however not explain what he was doing or what made the boy unconscious,” the DPO said. During interrogation, the police learnt that Abdulhamid was also involved in the business of selling human parts for ritual purposes, confessing that he had business partners in some parts of the country, especially in Kano State. After investigations had been concluded, the 29-year-old was first arraigned in court on December 24, 2007, where he pleaded guilty to all the charges levelled against him. The presiding judge, Mallam Musa A. Barda then adjorned the ruling to December 27, 2007, when Abdulhamid was sentenced to life imprisonment on a three-count charge of conspiracy, criminal charming and attempt to kidnap, which is contrary to Section 123, 125 and 403 (E) of the Sharia Penal code. Supporting his decision to sentence Abdulhamid to life imprisonment, Mallam Barda, who quoted from the holy Quran in support of the judgment, said the convict should spend the rest of his life in prison as he was a threat to the society. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on how the incident happened, the victim, Sabiu Auta, said he was in the shop alone on the day of the incident when the man entered. “He said he wanted to do something nearby and he pleaded that I allow him keep his bag in the shop. “Because I did not know him and it was also getting late, I initially refused. He then started begging and I allowed him.” Instead of dropping his bag however, Sabiu said the man moved closer and used the live fowl on him. “That was all I could remember”, Sabiu said. Also speaking, the father of the vicitm, Mallam Abdullahi Auta, explained that when the incident happened, he was not around. “I was called on phone by sympathisers who told me the situation my son was in. “When I got there, the man would not confess. I then ordered for an egg, which I smashed on his forehead. He then started confessing that he wanted to use my boy for money ritual. He also told us how to revive him,” Mallam Auta said happily. Advising parents against leaving their children all by themselves, Mallam Auta said the experience had taught him a lesson, saying there are many people around who are waiting to take advantage of such children. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Bauchi State command, ASP Alhassan Guga, said all Abdulhamid wanted to do was to use the boy for money ritual, saying luck however ran out on him.