By Uhuru Samuel, Jalingo
Shock and outrage gripped residents of Karofi, a suburb of Jalingo, Taraba State capital, on Wednesday after Alhaji Bello Kasimu, an Adviser to Governor Agbu Kefas, allegedly attacked a mentally challenged teenager with a knife.
The 19-year-old victim, identified as Adamu, was tied up by a factory guard on suspicion of theft before Kasimu reportedly arrived at the scene and inflicted multiple knife wounds on him.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred at a pure water factory where the security guard, Tapawa, claimed he apprehended Adamu around 3 a.m. The guard said he tied up the boy before alerting his employer, Kasimu — who is also an aspirant in the forthcoming Jalingo local government chairmanship elections.
Eyewitnesses alleged that Kasimu opened his car boot, brought out a knife, and repeatedly stabbed the teenager while calling him a thief.
Human rights activist Gambo Dauda, who intervened, confirmed that Adamu is known in the community as mentally unstable and not a thief.
“When we got there, the victim was bleeding with deep cuts all over his body. Residents told us Kasimu used a knife on him. Our findings showed Adamu is mentally challenged — his responses were uncoordinated,” Dauda said.
The boy was rescued by police from Karofi outpost and later transferred to Jalingo Police Division, where he was rushed to the police clinic for treatment.
A senior police officer confirmed that Kasimu was invited, made a statement, and was granted bail shortly afterward. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the Taraba Command were unsuccessful as his phones were switched off at press time.
Meanwhile, residents of Karofi condemned the attack.
“This is man’s inhumanity to man. We all know Adamu; he roams around here. He is mentally challenged, not a thief,” said Junaidu, a local resident.
When contacted, Kasimu initially promised to respond after two hours but subsequently ignored multiple calls from our correspondent.
The attack has sparked widespread anger in Jalingo, with rights groups demanding justice for the victim.
