His story is heart rending. 12-year old Mustapha Yunusa is an ‘almajiri’ in Kano state who hustles and scavenges for crumbs to live. Isah Hassan, 17, in search of a disappearing charm, lured him to a nearby bush, tied his hands and using a sharp knife, horrendously gouged his right eye socket and forcefully plucked the eyeball!
Hassan had gone to a 100-year old grandma who instructed him to bring a human eye for the disappearing charm. He looked around and the unlucky poor beggar became his victim.
But when he returned to the shrine he was charged N500 for the services. He did not have. The old woman told him to go and preserve the ‘product’ until he finds N500. In three days he had not gotten any money. The eye decayed and he threw it away. His confession led to arrest of the centenarian, for her complexity in the crime. The two suspects are to be charged to court. The victim was taken to hospital by police detectives. He is being treated but half blind and his liability to the society has increased.
©Fanen Ihyongo
