The tragic incident occurred in the Zaria area of Kaduna State, where Abubakar was allegedly buried by his two older siblings over a missing phone.
The brothers, aged 22 and 18, had reportedly argued about the missing phone while they were in Abuja.
Fueled by anger, they followed Abubakar back to Zaria, where they buried him alive as a form of punishment.
The boy was discovered in the early hours of Monday, August 12, 2024, when a good Samaritan noticed his head protruding from a hole in an abandoned property.
Reacting to the incident, Rabi Salisu, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Abubakar was found tied up with his mouth sealed and buried with only his head exposed.
Salisu described the scene as “imaginable cruelty” and confirmed that the boy was covered with rags in the hole.
The discovery was made after the Samaritan heard Abubakar coughing, which led to a rescue by nearby farmers.
The suspects, Yahaya Abdulkadir (22) and Abdul Abdulkadir (18), were arrested by the police and have confessed to the crime.
Mansir Hassan, the state police spokesperson, stated that the investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged in court soon.
The Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development has responded swiftly.
The commissioner reported that the Social Officer in charge of Zaria visited the community to provide support and assess the situation.
The ministry condemned the act and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children’s rights, assuring the public that justice will be served.
The Kaduna State Government has condemned the incident strongly and pledged to continue monitoring the case closely as the investigation progresses.
