A 19-year-old man has been arrested by the Niger state police command for allegedly selling his 6-year-old brother to a ritual killer for N20,000.
Aliyu Basala Yakutchi confessed to having sold his younger brother, Yamusa Ibrahim Yakutchi, to 30-year-old Legbo in order to raise money to pay his wife’s bride price, New Telegraph reports. Legbo is currently at large, according to police.
Aliyu, who claimed to be the third of his mother’s six children, said that he sold his brother on credit. Unaware of the gravity of his offense, he pleaded with the police to release him unconditionally so that he could go and tend to his farm.
He said:
I decided to sell my younger brother for N20,000 on credit so that I can raise money to pay for the bride price of my 14-year-old lover.
I took my younger brother, Yamusa, to Malam Legbo for money rituals because he promised to pay me N20,000 if he succeeded in using him for money rituals. I wanted to use the money to finance my marriage to Fatimah.
Our father is dead, but our mother is still alive, her name is Hajiya Yakure. Prior to my arrest by the police, I had not been paid by Legbo. The money might not even be enough for my marriage requirements.
Asked the whereabouts of Legbo, Aliyu said:
I think he ran away with my brother when he got the information that the police were looking for him. I blame the devil for pushing me into hatching this evil plan against my brother. I don’t even know where Legbo has taken my brother to.