13-year-old takes own life after torture in Kaduna

A 13-year-old boy, Wisdom Hashimu, has died by suicide in the Ungwan Maigero Community in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The incident reportedly happened on Thursday, June 7, after a soldier and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the area tortured the deceased.

The late Wisdom who carried out the act in the family’s compound on Lafiya Sarki Street was said to have been falsely accused of stealing N10,000 from a neighbour on June 1.

In a report on Channels TV, the 16-year-old neighbour, identified simply as Hope, was said to have invited her boyfriend, Segun Samson, who is a serving soldier at Bodi Camp in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

However, the money went missing during the visit, thereby prompting Hope to involve his boyfriend who dragged Wisdom and her brother to the Civilian JTF office.

Wisdom, who was sitting for his Junior Secondary School examination, was reportedly severely beaten to a pulp by a soldier and members of the civilian JTF.

Wisdom’s father, Mr Saul, who spoke to the news medium said, “Rather than report 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.