2 in police net for allegedly burying man alive

The Police Command in Kaduna State says it has detained two suspects for allegedly burying a man alive in Zaria.

The command’s Spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna.

Hassan said that the detention of the two suspects in Zaria for alleged complicity was a sequel to a viral video showing a person buried with only his head left out.

He said that immediately after the police got wind of the video, efforts were made to locate the 20-year-old victim from Gauraki village in Kufena ward, Zaria council area, and possibly detain the culprits, which eventually yielded a result.

The spokesperson further stated that a preliminary investigation revealed that the victim and the two suspects were working as labourers at a construction site in Abuja.

He said that the cell phone of one of the suspects, valued at N35,000, was stolen where they were all lodged.

Hassan said that the victim was suspected to have stolen the handset, thus making the two suspects resolve that the victim’s daily wages would be used to buy another phone as a replacement.

He said that the victim, piqued by the suspects’ decision, left Abuja and went to Zaria, where he was eventually trailed by the suspects, who are siblings.

“On Aug. 10, the suspects located their victim and forcefully took him to an uncompleted building and dug the ground akin to a grave.

“They bound his hands and feet, covered his mouth with a piece of clothing, placed him inside the hole, and returned the earth, leaving only his head outside.

“They left their victim in the said condition until a passerby heard his groans and alerted the public before he was rescued,” he said.

Hassan said that the suspects, who were later arrested, admitted to committing the act during interrogation.

He said that the Commissioner of Police, Audu Ali, warned the general public against taking the law into their own hands.

The spokesperson said that the case would be carefully investigated and that the outcome would be handled professionally.