"SOMEONE KILLED MY SON AND HUNGED HIS CORPSE"- MOTHER OF NINE YEAR OLD BOY
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The family of Henry Goodness is still to
come to terms with the fate that has befallen them. The nine-year-old
boy allegedly committed suicide, throwing the entire neighborhood of
Angwan Yashi in Tudun Wada, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau
State into anguish.
They are also baffled at how a promising boy could terminate his life abruptly.
Henry’s body was found lying on the
ground of the compound around 3.30pm on Tuesday by neighbours where he
lived with his parents and siblings, with the rope still tied around his
neck. The parents were not at home when the incident occurred.
However, his mother said she could not
be fooled into believing that he killed himself. She alleged that Henry
was killed and a rope apparently was put around his neck by the
murderers to make it look like a suicide.
At the time of his death, Henry was a primary one pupil of Messiah Foundation Private School in Tudun Wada, Jos.
Hanatu, who spoke amid tears, said,
“Nobody will tell me that my son committed suicide because when I left
him this morning he was full of life. They have just finished their
examination and he felt there was no need to go to school. He was
playing in the house.
“On Tuesday I went to the hospital with
Henry’s younger brother early in the morning and I left him in the
house. He was full of life. After leaving the hospital, I went to visit
my mother at Jenta Adamu and few hours later I got a call from my
husband informing me that our son had been killed.
“I suspect foul play. I believe my son
was killed and then his corpse was hanged. My son can never do anything
like that he was full of life that morning. I’m calling on the police to
do everything possible to bring the killers of my son to book.”
Not less perplexed was his uncle, Goodness, who said a neighbour called him on phone to tell him of the tragedy.
“I rushed from my office to their house and saw the boy hanging in the compound,” he said.
The dead boy’s grandfather, who called himself Pa Goodness, shared the views of Henry’s mother.
With tears dropping from his eyes, he
said, “I suspect foul play. My boy could not have hanged himself, not
for any reason. The boy had no problem at all. He had no reason to
commit suicide. Something must have gone wrong. I would also want them
to conduct an autopsy on my son.”
The house where the tragedy took place has over 20 tenants.
At Tudun Wada Police Station, our
correspondent was told by a policeman that the case had been transferred
to the A division of the state police command.
The state command’s spokesman, DSP
Adigun Salawu, told Saturday PUNCH that the case had been referred to
the State Criminal Investigation Department for proper investigation.
Salami said the police were working on a theory that the boy committed suicide because of the rope found around his neck.
H said. “We are working on the theory
that he committed suicide, until the parents come up with any evidence
of foul play. However, we are not ruling that out. We are exploring all
angles to ensure that we get to the root of the matter.”