The community of Barkin Saleh in Niger State has been thrown into deep grief and shock following the discovery of the decomposed body of a 45-year-old Quranic teacher and father of seven, Mallam Awwal Yakubu, four days after he was declared missing.
Yakubu, who operated a Quranic school in the Barkin Saleh area, was last seen on Thursday, December 4, 2025, sparking concerns among family members and neighbours.
His lifeless body was eventually found on Monday, December 8, inside an uncompleted building at Talba Housing Estate.
According to residents, the tragic discovery was made by children from the estate who were searching for a missing fowl when they stumbled upon the corpse.
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Local sources revealed that beside the body were a pack of matches and a bottle of tigernut drink, while his clothes and shoes were found scattered in different corners of the structure — a detail that has raised suspicions of foul play or a staged scene.
One distressed resident described the incident as “sad, barbaric, and agonising,” praying for divine protection from such tragedies.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, stating that the command received a report around 10:00 am on December 7 about a corpse discovered behind Talba Estate, along Bida Road in the Kpakungu area.
Police operatives from the Kpakungu Division immediately visited the scene, where the body—already decomposing—was found inside the uncompleted building.
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“Relatives later identified the remains as Awwal Yakubu, a 45-year-old resident of the area,” Abiodun said.
The body, suspected to have been dumped at the location, has been evacuated to a hospital for examination.
Police authorities have assured residents that a full investigation is underway to unravel the circumstances leading to the tragic death.