Photo: Leadership

Court gavel

Kano — An 11-year-old boy, whose stomach was partially ripped open with a sharp knife by his biological mother last week, is expected to be discharged from hospital yesterday following improvement in his condition, Kano State police command disclosed on Sunday.

The lad was admitted at the hospital last week Saturday, after his 28-year-old mother, who is now in police custody, had attempted to divide him into two in an effort to settle the child's custody issue with his father, police said.

Kano police commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim K Idris, told newsmen that the suspect, Miss Joy Akule, had misunderstanding with her love, Mr. Thomas Kationa, following which she stabbed their only son, with the intention of ending the relationship with his father.

Police said the victim was rushed to the hospital with exposed intestines.

Fielding questions from newsmen, Miss Joy disclosed that her initial intent was not to kill the boy, but to cut him into two and share with his father.

She said her relationship with the boy's father had turned sour after he allegedly stopped taking care of the child. "He would not take care of him and even when I sent money for that purpose, he would not do," she said.

She further narrated that when she confronted Mr. Kationa over the issue and sought for custody of the boy, he refused to grant it.

"Because he didn't want to take care of the boy and will not let me go with him, I decided to cut it into two so that he could take half and I would take half," she explained.

The mother confessed to using a sharp knife to cut open the boy's lower abdomen. "I have since regretted my action," she admitted, adding "I thought it (dividing the child) was going to be easy."

Meanwhile, the police said she would be charged to court for attempted homicide when investigation is completed.

In a related development, the state police command said it has arrested 17 policemen, comprising 6 inspectors, 3 sergeants, 5 corporals and three constables for offences of extortion at road blocks.

Similarly, the police said it arrested two persons who used police uniforms to trick members of the public. One of the suspects, according to CP Idris is a dismissed police officer and was arrested wearing complete police uniform bearing the rank of a corporal.