Niger Police Arrest Four Men Over Alleged Plan to Sacrifice Their Own Children for Money Rituals

The Niger State Police Command has arrested four men accused of offering their biological children as sacrifice in a desperate bid to acquire wealth through money rituals in Minna.

The suspects were arrested alongside a native doctor during an operation at an isolated compound in the Garima area of Bosso, Minna, on October 27 at about 8:30 p.m., according to a crime bulletin issued by the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun.

Those arrested are Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40; Aliyu Sule, 25; and Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57. The native doctor was identified as Shehu Abubakar, 40, of Maikunkele.

Police said operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit received intelligence about suspicious ritual activities at the compound and moved in to interrupt the act.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the four men had approached the native doctor to perform money rituals using a human skeleton allegedly discovered during mining activities. The native doctor reportedly declined, stating that he did not offer such services.

The four suspects, however, persisted and allegedly offered their biological children as sacrifice in exchange for varying sums of money. Following their insistence, the native doctor allegedly instructed each of them to purchase a chicken and assemble at a designated location for the ritual.

“One of the suspects, Aliyu Sule was found at the scene holding the blood-stained knife about to slaughter his chicken while three others had already slaughtered theirs,” Abiodun said.

Items recovered at the scene included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat on which the items were placed.

The police spokesman said the suspects confessed to the crime and are undergoing further investigation before being charged to court for prosecution.

The command condemned ritual-related crimes and urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to security agencies.

The police statement did not disclose the identities or ages of the children allegedly offered, nor did it confirm whether any child had been exposed to immediate danger.