The household of Mr & Mrs Saul Hashimu of Dange Village in Ileri Local Government of Kaduna State is now enveloped in grief.
On Friday, June 6, 2024, the Hashimu family was plunged into mourning following the tragic suicide of their 13-year-old son, Wisdom Hashimu.
The teenager, falsely accused of theft, succumbed to the weight of injustice, ending his own life behind the family house.
Wisdom, a native of Dange Village, was wrongly accused of the theft of ₦10,000 from his 16-year-old neighbour, Hope Danlami.
The situation escalated when Hope’s boyfriend, said to be a soldier, intervened, leading to Wisdom and Hope’s brother being taken to the Joint Task Force (JTF) office in the area.
There, Wisdom was allegedly interrogated and tortured to own up to the crime. His protestations that he was innocent was ignored.
Despite receiving medical treatment afterwards, his emotional wounds didn’t heal.
Abigail, who is yet to recover from Victor’s suicide, shared the harrowing details of the events leading to Wisdom’s demise.
“Hope’s brother later confessed he was the one that took the money and returned ₦9,000, stating that the remaining ₦1,000 was with his sister who had gone to their mother’s house.
“The money was never found on my son, yet they took him to the JTF. He was subjected to brutal beatings, rendering him unable to walk or sit,” she lamented.
Echoing his wife’s sentiments, Saul the grieving father, expressed his helplessness in the face of the tragedy.
“My boy is already gone; there is nothing we can do about it. He’s inevitable to die, including all of us. My fear now is to implore the community to help us curtail future occurrences like this,” he said.
Saul raised concerns over the actions of the Army, emphasising that they took his son without his and his wife’s knowledge, contrary to the law.
The neighbour responsible for Wisdom’s arrest is currently in police custody, as confirmed by Jessica Danlami, the mother of Hope.
Denouncing her daughter’s actions, she exclaimed, “Wisdom didn’t steal her money… just take her, I didn’t send her. I don’t want her again.”
The Kaduna State Police Command has assured the public that justice will be done.
“Investigation has since commenced, and the Commissioner of Police has directed the Department of Criminal Investigation to carry out the case.
“Whosoever is involved definitely must be arrested. Justice must be served,” stated a spokesperson for the Kaduna State Command.
