A 13-year-old boy, Wisdom Hashimu, has committed suicide after he was severely brutalised by a soldier and members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Ungwan Maigero Community in the Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.
The deceased, who until his death was living with his parents on Lafiya Sarki Street in the same LGA, was said to have committed suicide inside their compound after he was falsely accused of stealing N10,000 from a neighbour and allegedly tortured by a soldier and civilian JTF members.
The teenager was said to have committed suicide on Friday, June 6, 2024.
Before his mysterious death, Wisdom, who was writing his junior secondary school examination, was, on June 1, 2024, severely beaten to a pulp by a soldier and members of the civilian JTF.
Wisdom was accused of stealing the sum from a 16-year-old neighbor known as Hope, who reportedly invited her boyfriend, one Segun Samson, who is a serving soldier at Bodi Camp in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Rather than reporting to the police, the soldier was said to have dragged Wisdom and Hope’s brother—both accused of stealing the money—to the civilian JTF office.
At the civilian JTF office, Wisdom was said to have been severely beaten to the point where he was unable to walk.
He returned home after receiving medical attention, but the story changed for the worse on Thursday, June 6th, 2024, as Wisdom’s lifeless body was found hanging on a noose at the back of their compound when his parents were not around.
The sorrowful demise of Wisdom has plunged his parents into deep distress, as his grieving father recounted the tragic events.
“On June 1, 2024, while I was in Zaria, I received distressing news that Wisdom was accused of stealing N1000 from our neighbor’s daughter, Miss Hope Danladi,” he recounted.
“Reports indicated that the Civilian JTF took matters into their own hands and subjected Wisdom to a severe beating. However, to my utter disbelief, while Wisdom was beaten into a state of unconsciousness, Hope’s younger brother emerged unscathed and returned home untouched.
“Upon further investigation at home, it was revealed that Hope’s younger brother was the culprit. Upon searching him, N9000 was discovered in his pocket, and he confessed to having spent N1000 already.”
“Furthermore, it was reported that Hope contacted her boyfriend, Segun Samson, who purported himself as a serving soldier at Bodi Camp in Port-Harcourt, to the Civilian JTF in Dokaji Street, Narayi. He presented his ID card for validation.
“Following Hope’s call, Samson arrived and escorted Wisdom and Hope’s younger brother to the Civilian JTF office, urging them to discipline the boys.
“My son suffered grievous injuries from the brutal beating inflicted by the Civilian JTF, rendering him unable to walk. We rushed him to the hospital for medical attention and reported the incident to the police station.
“On Thursday, while I was away, I received an urgent call to return home immediately, informing me that my son had tragically ended his own life by hanging himself with a rope at the back of our compound.
“Though my beloved son has departed from this world, I am resigned to the will of God. He is gone. Yet, I implore the authorities to ensure that justice prevails and that those responsible for my son’s torment are held accountable. May this serve as a warning to others.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has acknowledged the incident and initiated a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is served. They are committed to apprehending and prosecuting those responsible for Wisdom’s untimely death, according to the law.
