Tension has gripped Karaku community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State after a 10-year-old boy, Abubakar Lawal, died following a violent altercation with a group of other minors. The incident occurred on Monday, August 11, 2025, while Abubakar and his friend, nine-year-old Hassan Adamu Umar, were returning from grazing their parents’ sheep.
According to eyewitness accounts, the two boys were intercepted along Karaku forest path by four other children identified as Musa Aliyu, 10; Umaru Abdullahi, 6; Maryam Abdullahi, 10; and Fulaira Jika, 4. What began as a confrontation quickly turned violent when Musa allegedly struck both Abubakar and Hassan with a stick, causing severe injuries.
Both victims were rushed to the General Hospital in Kagara for urgent medical attention. Medical staff pronounced Abubakar dead shortly after arrival, while Hassan remains hospitalised, receiving treatment for multiple injuries sustained during the attack.
The Niger State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, describing it as a suspected case of culpable homicide. He revealed that the parents of all minors involved accompanied their children to the police station on Thursday, August 14, 2025, where the youngsters are being interrogated in the presence of their guardians.
Police investigations are underway, with the case set to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further action. Authorities have also ordered an autopsy on Abubakar’s body, which is currently at the General Hospital Kagara morgue, to establish the exact cause of death.
Community leaders have expressed shock over the incident, calling for intensified parental supervision and conflict resolution education for children in rural communities. Some residents blame the tragedy on a rising trend of unchecked juvenile aggression, urging the state government to launch awareness campaigns in schools and farming settlements.
As the investigation unfolds, grief hangs heavily over Karaku community, where friends, family, and neighbours mourn the loss of a young boy whose life was cut short in circumstances that have sparked outrage and calls for justice across Niger State.
