Photo: Promising 17-year-old girl kidnapped, gang-raped and murdered in Kebbi State

17-year-old girl, Zarau was on her way to her sister's house in Kimba village, Jega council area of Kebbi State when a four-man gang of criminals led by one Aliyu Sarkin Mata accosted her. They kidnapped, raped her repeatedly and later strangled her to death. Her lifeless body was found in a bush three days after she was declared missing.


In this report by LEADERSHIP, Yahya Sarki presents details of the sad incidence:  For residence of Kimba village, a sleepy community in Jega council area of Kebbi state, the rape and eventual murder of a seventeen year old girl came as a rude shock but then it appears they will have to live with the reality of the sad incidence.

Indeed, what could well be described as callous, heartless and terrible incidence happened in Kimba village when a gang of young criminals between the ages of 20 to 25 kidnapped, raped and murdered aninnocent 17 year old village girl called Zarau was said to be on her way to her sister’s house to keep her company that fateful day because her sister’s husband had travelled and left the wife alone at home.

It was gathered that yhe young Zara’u left home around 8pm for her sister’s house to spend a night with her when the gang of criminals led by one Aliyu Sarkin Mata accosted her on the road.

The criminals, numbering four and said to be armed with some local weapons, kidnapped the lady, raped her severally and finally strangled her to death.

Our correspondent reports that the lifeless body of late Zarau was dumped in the bush by the criminals after embarking on the nefarious act, obviously in a bid to cover up for the evil deed.

However, one thing led to another and, as God destined, luck ran out of the criminal miscreants hence they were arrested by the Police and detained at the Police Headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.

Narrating the incidence to LEADERSHIPSunday, a visibly enraged father of the murdered girl, Bello Buhari said it seemed like a scene from the nollywood movies.

Buhari, a senior staff of Kebbi State Ministry of Finance, said the incidence came to the family as a rude shock “that we will not forget in a hurry”.
An understandably worried Buhari said he was informed of the sad incidence after the family embarked on search mission for the murdered lady who was earlier declared missing.

‘’When the incident happened, I was not aware but was later informed that Zara’u could not be seen. She often visits her sister to keep her company in the absence of the sister’s husband. But my son called to inform me that Zara’u is missing so I left the city and rushed to the village. As a matter of fact, I arrived Kimba around 10pm and I met group of sympathizers at my house in the village all looking worried”

Providing what sounds like clue that led to arrest of the criminals, Buhari said

 “We got information that somebody who took the girl on a motorcycle was spotted at Alelu village, some two to three kilometers away from Kimba village where my daughter was kidnapped”.

Continuing, he said 

“We also got additional information that somebody probably one of the criminals advised the first suspect who kidnapped the girl to allow her go free because the girl may have come from a decent family but he refused ‘’

It was gathered that the investigation that was launched by security personnel led to the arrest of the first suspect who was spotted with Zara’u on his motorcycle at the nearby village of Alelu which neighbours Kimba village where Zara’u was kidnapped.

It was further gathered that the first suspect, Aliyu, was arrested along with two of his accomplice but the lifeless body of their victim was discovered three days after they undertook the nefarious act.

Findings revealed that upon discovery of the lifeless body, the authority insisted that an autopsy be carried out before burial rites were observed.

So two doctors were invited who confirmed that before she was killed, the criminals had violated her by raping her. In fact she was said to have died following the multiple rape.

In an emotion laden voice, father of the murdered girl said 

“All I want the authority concerned to do is to be fair in this case, I want justice.

The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Kabiru Ibrahim who visited the village of Kimba over the incident expressed shocked and advice parents to always be mindful of whereabouts of their children especially at odd hours.He said 3 people have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.While assuring that the police would not shirk from its responsibilities of protecting lives and properties and, ensuring obedience to law and order, the CP said those arrested would be charged to court to face prosecution upon successful conclusion of investigation.