John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a 20-year-old man identified as Mustapha Aliyu from Tamanai Community in Borgu local government area for allegedly killing his four-month-old son by drowning him in a river.
The suspect, an Okada (rickshaw) rider and indigene of Kebbi State who is resident of Tamanai community, threw the child into river Oli in Tamanai village after he was handed the four-month-old baby by his mother-in-law.
The mother-in-law had supposedly been furious that Mustapha her son-in-law’s parents had refused to come and formalised the marriage with her daughter.
NSCDC Commandant Mr George U Edem, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday in Minna, said the suspect committed the atrocity on September the 7th.
The Commandant said the suspect was arrested the same day in Tamanai community following a tip off by the villagers.
Murderous Mustapha had confessed to the crime, the NSCDC Commandant said, adding that the suspect would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
The Commandant said the remains of the deceased child was yet to be recovered from the river after days of fruitless searching by local volunteers.
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The suspect, in an interview on the premises of the NSCDC headquarters, said he killed his son because he was confused on what to do with him as he had no means of providing him.
According to him, his parents were not happy because the child was born out of wedlock and that they had refused to accept his son.
“My mother was never happy since she learnt that my girlfriend became pregnant. Things got worse when she put to bed, with my mother insisting she will have nothing to do with a bastard,” Mustapha told reporters.
“On that fateful day, when I visited the girl, her mother insisted that I should take my son since my parents are not keen on formalising the relationship.
“I was confused. I took him to the riverside, sat for a while but on the spur of the moment I decided to end it all. So, I threw him into the river,” Mustapha recounted.
He pleaded with the security agents not to kill him so that he will have time to atone for his crime.
The NSCDC Commandant advised parents to always monitor their wards and to give them the right guidance so that they would not make choices that may negatively impact on their lives and the peace of others.