Fulani herdsman says he must have been charmed after killing his mother and sister-in-law

FULANI cattle herdsman Abubakar Usman has been arrested by the Kwara State Police Command for allegedly killing his 65-year-old mother Khadijat and his brother’s wife named as Ramatu Shagari in what he said must have been a case of him being charmed.

 

In a particularly gruesome murder, Mr Usman, 25, who lives in the Patigi area of the Kwara State capital Ilorin, killed his elderly mother and sister-in-law aged 35.  Yesterday, the Kwara State Police Command paraded him along with two other suspects Yahaya Umar and Abubakar Saletu after they were caught with a human head.

 

Upon interrogation, Mr Usman, said he could not explain what pushed him to the crime. He, however, alleged that his father might have charmed him, adding that he regretted his action.

 

Mr Usman said: “I am into cattle rearing and on that day when I woke up, I took N1,000 from my room and took  my cows out for grazing. Suddenly, I discovered that the cattle were running away and I followed them but on getting back home, something came over me and I used a knife to stab my mother.

 

"I also stabbed my brother’s wife. I believe that my father charmed me as I do not have a mental disorder.”

 

One of the two suspects arrested with a human head, Umar, also confessed to the crime, saying that there had been a quarrel between him and the victim. He added that he colluded with Saletu to behead the victim in a bush.

 

Kwara State police commissioner Olusola Amore, who paraded the suspects, said the crimes were reported to the police by one Abdullahi Adamu of Mamba Fulani Camp, Patigi. He added that the suspects would be arraigned after investigations were complete.