A 15-year-old pastoralist named Adamu Ibrahim has been apprehended by the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly severing the hand of a farmer. The incident reportedly unfolded during a dispute over encroachment onto the farmer’s agricultural land.
According to a statement released on Saturday by SP Ahmed Wakil, the spokesperson for the police command, Adamu Ibrahim, hailing from Jital village along Gombe Road, Bauchi State, was arrested by operatives from the Area Command Metro. He faces charges of trespass, mischief, and inflicting severe injury.
Initial investigations have unveiled a history of the suspect repeatedly allowing his cattle to trespass onto the victim’s farmland. The situation escalated following multiple complaints by the victim to the suspect’s father about the trespassing.
On August 24, 2023, the situation took a violent turn. Armed with a stick and a machete, the suspect deliberately entered the victim’s farmland, resulting in the destruction of crops of unknown value. A confrontation ensued, culminating in the suspect stabbing the victim after being asked to leave the farmland. The confrontation escalated further, with the suspect utilizing his machete to amputate the victim’s left hand.
Upon receiving the report, the Area Commander, Metropolitan, promptly intervened to implement preventive measures aimed at averting potential clashes between herders and farmers in the region. The swift response also led to the arrest of the suspect.
The victim was rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital in Bauchi for medical treatment, and he is reportedly in stable condition.
In light of this incident, Bauchi State’s Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Mohammed, issued a warning to herders against encroaching upon farmlands in the state. The Commissioner also directed that the suspect be charged once the discreet investigation is concluded.
