The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 17-year-old boy, Auwal Dahiru, and five others for allegedly plucking out the eyes of his seven-year-old sister, Rukayya Muhammad, in a suspected ritual attack in Bayan Dutse Village, Wailo, Kubi Ward, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying the incident occurred on October 17, 2025, and was reported by the victim’s father, Muhammad Adamu, at the Soro Divisional Police Headquarters.

According to the statement, Auwal lured his younger sister into a nearby bush around 8 p.m., attacked her with the intent to kill, and forcefully removed her eyes.

Responding swiftly, the Divisional Police Officer, Aliyu Goni, led detectives to the scene, arrested the suspect, and rushed the victim to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for emergency medical care.

Wakil revealed that preliminary investigations confirmed the young girl permanently lost her sight after both eyes were plucked out in what the suspect described as an attempt to perform a money ritual.

“Unfortunately, a medical doctor (eye specialist) at the hospital confirmed that the young girl will never regain her vision for the rest of her life,” the police spokesperson said.

He further disclosed that five others Mohammed Rabiu (19), Saleh Ibrahim (20), Nasiru Muhammad, Hassan Garba, and Garba Dahiru (43) were arrested in connection with the crime.

“All the suspects voluntarily confessed to the crime during interrogation,” Wakil said, adding that investigations were ongoing to uncover the motive behind the brutal act and identify all those involved.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet and professional probe.

This shocking incident adds to a growing list of ritual-related crimes in Bauchi State. In 2021, a 22-year-old man, Musa Hamza, was arrested for beheading a teenager and removing his eyes for ritual purposes in the Alkaleri Local Government Area, before burning and burying the victim’s remains in a shallow grave.

The police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, warning that ritual killings and other forms of violence will be met with severe legal consequences.