Corpse of six-year-old allegedly defiled before being killed discovered in Kaduna cemetery

The corpse of a six-year-old, Aisha Ya’u, suspected to have been defiled before being killed, has been recovered from a cemetery in Kurmin Mashi area of Kaduna, the News Agency of Nigeria is reporting.

The corpse was discovered by a farmer, returning from his farm, and who alerted passers-by, NAN learnt.

Eyewitness accounts as at the time of filing this report indicated that the girl returned from Islamiyya school on Sunday around 11am, changed into her playing clothes, and went out to play in the neighbourhood until her mother discovered that she had not returned.

“The search for the girl began and she was found dead at a burial ground in the area by a farmer with sand all over her body,” a source, who sought anonymity, said.

Effort made to speak with Amaratu Ya’u, the mother of the victim, failed because she was still in shock over what had befallen her daughter.

A source close to the family, however, narrated that Aisha’s mother had raised alarm about her missing daughter an hour after she couldn’t find her, and this attracted neighbours who joined in the search for the missing girl.

NAN recalls that on June 28, while locals were in their houses due to the COVID-19 lockdown, a similar incident involving a minor occurred.

The corpse of a little girl left at a Mosque in the same area was discovered.

Her killer(s) are yet to be apprehended.

Reacting to the latest incident, the Commissioner, Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, expressed sadness over the development, while calling on the Police to deploy all available resources to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous crimes occurring repeatedly in the same community.

“Right thinking Kaduna people are very sad about this unfortunate development,” Baba said, adding: “These criminals are still on rampage but they must be stopped.

“I am calling on the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, CP Muri Umar, to help us get to the bottom of this.”

The Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Muhammed Jalige, who confirmed the discovery of the corpse of the little girl, cautioned against attributing her death to defilement.

He said the Police had already obtained a Coroner’s Form duly signed by a Magistrate’s Court to enable the hospital to carry out series of examination on the girl’s corpse.

“After the examination, the hospital can then release the corpse to the parents for burial,” Jalige said.

NAN.