By Augustine Ehikioya
The principal suspect, Issa Hassan, who was arrested after nine days of manhunt by the Kano State Police Command for plucking out the right eyeball of a 12 years old boy for charms, has given more revelations why he needed the charms.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Security Watch Africa (SWA) in Kano State, the suspect said he needed the charms to vanish from bandits terrorizing his area.
Security Watch Africa also spoke with the victim, Mustapha Yunusa.
The encounter went thus:
ISSAH (SUSPECT)
SWA: What’s your Name?:
Issa: Issa Hassan
SWA: How old are you
Issa: I’m 17 years old
SWA: Where do you live?
Issa: Dan tsinke
SWA: Where exactly is that place?
Issa: Rima Hamza line
SWA: Which local govt are you from?
Issa: Tarauni
SWA: What was your offence?
Issa: I plucked somebody’s eye
SWA: Who is he?
Issa: Mustapha
SWA: Do you know him?
Issa: No
SWA: How come you plucked his eye, what happened?
Issa: I was asked to do it
SWA: So tell us everything you know
Issa: The female ritualist asked me to provide it so that she produce charm for my protection, because of our incessant encounter with bandits in the forest. I explained to her and she enquired if I needed charm to enable me vanish? I said yes! She told me she can produce the charm but the human eye is very difficult to get except if one is highly connected or even rich. I asked her to assure me of getting the charm if I provide the eye and she said yes.
SWA: Did you get it?
Issa: Yes I got it
SWA: Where and how did you meet the boy?
Issa: I met him by the road side and ask him to come work for me, I promised to give him food in return. I led him off the major road towards the bush path, tied him up then strangled him. When I discovered he was no longer moving, I plucked the eye and took to the ritualist who later insisted I provide additional 500 naira to complete the process but for now I should go and preserve the eye first. Not very certain of the best way to preserve the eye, I simply dropped it inside the container of water and kept it away. I did not get the 500 Naira until after 4 days. By this time, the eye has already started decomposing, I had the intention to take the eye to her to accomplish the charm after which I will just walk away and return to work.
SWA: What kind of job?
Issa: Transportation, we use to go into the forest and harvest charcoals from burnt down trees, the job belong to our boss. Often time we even buy charcoal from the king of bauchi
SWA: So why do you need charm?
Issa: It is because of the bandits in the forest
SWA: Have you ever encounter them?
Issa: Yes! Severally
SWA: What did they do to you?
Issa: Most times they kill people, its only god that’s protecting us.
The encounter with the victim, Mustapha Yunusa, went thus:
MUSTAPHA (VICTIM)
SWA: Whats your name?
Mustapha: Mustapha Yunusa
SWA: How old are you?
Mustapha: I am 12 years
SWA: Are you up to 12 years?
Mustapha: Yes
SWA: What happened to you?
Mustapha: After begging for alms, I was on my way home when he saw me and requested to send me on an errand ( to get him food) so I followed him. When we got to his place, he then attacked me on my eye.
SWA: Which one?
Mustapha: This one!
SWA: Can you see with the eye?
Mustapha: No!
SWA: Have you met him before?
Mustapha: I have never met him before.