A nine-man gang of serial ritualists known as “Karangiya” who specialises in dismembering their victims’ body parts have been arrested by the Borno State Police Command.
Briefing newsmen on Friday in Maiduguri, Abdu Umar, the Commissioner of Police explained that the suspects were apprehended on 16th December 2022 by the Command.
According to him, “The suspects murdered unknown persons and dismembered their remains. The last incident was recorded where a victim’s eyes were removed around the Post Office area.”
He added that there was another case where a woman was killed and thrown into the river and her body parts were removed.
The Commissioner of Police stated that detectives embarked on an intelligence investigation to find those behind the act after visiting the crime scenes.
He explained that at about 19:45hrs, one Mohammed Bukar, an 18-year-old from Shuwari area in Maiduguri, reported at Jere Division that on December 16, 2022, he along with his friend went to collect his phone from where he was charging it and they sighted a group of youths who called themselves members of ‘Karangiya group,’ armed with sticks and cutlasses coming towards their direction.
On reaching them, he said that members of the group started beating him while his friend ran away.
He said in the process, one of the armed men, Ali Bukar, used a long knife and attempted to cut his head but he used his left hand to shield his head.
He added that the suspect lifted a cutlass and cut off the victim’s hand and fled, leaving him in a pool of blood.
The CP explained that the police arrested the principal suspect and eight others for investigation and subsequent prosecution when they stormed the scene.
Umar assured that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations.
