Panic and chaos erupted in Tulu, a community in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Monday after a 19-year-old girl, Esther Gambo, allegedly murdered two young girls and abducted a newborn baby.
The suspect, said to be a native of Lemoro village, reportedly lured the victims—seven-year-olds Khadija Sama’ila and A’isha Dahiru—from Unguwan Sarkin Yaki to a nearby maize farm. There, she allegedly hacked them to death with a machete before fleeing with a newborn belonging to one Nafisa Dahiru.
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Following a swift manhunt by operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command, working alongside local vigilantes, Gambo was arrested and the stolen infant recovered. The lifeless bodies of the two girls were also found at the scene.
The gruesome incident triggered violent protests across the largely Muslim community, with enraged youths burning down several churches and attempting to set the Divisional Police Headquarters in Tulu ablaze.
Police spokesperson Ahmed Wakil confirmed the incident and the ensuing violence, stating that reinforcements were deployed from the Area Command in Toro and neighboring divisions to restore peace. So far, sixteen suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks.
Commissioner of Police Auwal Sani-Omolori Aliyu, who visited the scene, strongly condemned both the killings and the reprisal attacks. He urged residents to remain calm and allow justice to take its course.
“The murder of the girls and the abduction of a baby is a horrific crime, and while the suspect is in custody, we will not tolerate any form of jungle justice or destruction of public and private property,” he said.
The police have confirmed that normalcy has been restored in Tulu as investigations continue into both the murder and the arson attacks.
25-Year-Old Man Stabs Cousin to Death During Fight in Benue
A 25-year-old man, Abdulraman Rabiu, has allegedly stabbed his cousin, Adamu Abubakar, to death during a violent altercation in the North Bank area of Makurdi, Benue State.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Wednesday at Lafia Garage, sparking panic in the area.