Although, Augustine was admitted at Jos University Teaching Hospital, where he has been pleading with the doctors in charge to restore his sight so he could see what is happening around him, all hopes of receiving his sight back is currently on the line.
According to Augustine’s elder brother Yakubu Bello, 45, on October 17 at about 5:00pm, a man identified as Muhammad, also a resident in the same village came to their granny’s house and on seeing that Augustine was in the house with the old woman, claimed that he had come to ask for okro seeds.
Yakubu was given the seeds and he left.
It was further disclosed that by the time the old woman returned from farm where she went to fetch firewood, she discovered that her grandson was missing.
The woman raised alarm and a search party was constituted to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found that day.
Yakubu said, “It was in the morning of the following day that Augustine was found in the forest with his face and body covered in blood. When we saw him, we thought he was dead and had gone to report the matter to the village head. From there, we went to the police station.”
Yakubu said the police escort had gone to a location to pick up what they presumed would be the boy’s corpse only to discover that he was still alive and breathing.
“When he gained consciousness, we asked what happened to him and he narrated how Muhammad seized him when his grandmother was out and carried him into the forest. He said the man made a hole in his stomach before he plucked his two eyes. After that he lost consciousness and did not know what was happening to him until he was found in the bush.”
After taking down their statements, the police allowed them take Augustine who happens to be the 13th and last child of their parents to the general hospital in Toro.
It was from there he was moved to Jos University Teaching Hospital in the State capital where he is currently being treated.
When Muhammad was arrested by the police, he admitted carrying out the evil act but claimed he was hired by one Idris to do the job.
The police later arrested Idris who denied hiring him but disclosed that before Muhammad went to kidnap the boy he informed him about the devilish plan and asked him to come along but he refused.
Asked why he did not inform the police about it, Idris stressed that he did not see it as necessary at that time.
He was last Tuesday sentenced to six months imprisonment by a magistrate court in Bauchi with the option of paying N5, 000 fine for concealing information.
Idris was also asked to pay N20, 000 as part payment for the victim’s treatment.
Meanwhile Muhammad is currently cooling his heels in prison custody just as the case is yet to get a final verdict
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