metro
Couple jailed 44 years for starving, burying three-year-old son in garden
Couple jailed 44 years for starving, burying three-year-old son in garden
A couple convicted of causing the de@th of their three-year-old son after his severely malnourished body was found buried in their back garden have been jailed for 44 years in total.
Tai, 42, and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah, 43, were on Thursday, Dec. 12, handed lengthy jail terms for what prosecutors described as a case of “breathtaking” neglect.
Their son Abiyah Yasharahyalah d!ed in early 2020 from a respiratory illness. He had been restricted to an extreme vegan diet and suffered from a list of other problems including rickets, anaemia and stunted growth.
Jurors at Coventry Crown Court heard his parents shunned mainstream society and lived “off grid,” creating their own bespoke belief system drawing on various elements from New Age mysticism and West African religion.
London-born Tai, a medical genetics graduate who also used the first name Tai-Zamarai, and former shop worker Naiyahmi tried to treat their son’s final illness with garlic and ginger instead of contacting the NHS.
The pair, whose diet largely consisted of nuts, raisins and soya milk, were both “extremely thin” when they were arrested on December 9, 2022, leading to the discovery of their son’s body five days later.
They denied the charges against them, telling the court they did not act wilfully and believed Abiyah would recover from a flu-like condition.
Jurors unanimously convicted them after hearing how they kept the body of Abiyah in their bed for eight days, before “embalming” and burying the toddler in an 80cm-deep grave at the back of their then-home in Clarence Road, Handsworth.
Tai was jailed for 24 and a half years, while Naiyahmi was given a 19 and a half year sentence.
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The judge Mr Justice Wall told them: “Abiyah d!ed as a result of your wilful neglect of him. He was severely stunted in his growth – at almost four years of age he was buried in the clothes of an 18-month-old.
“I accept that there was no deliberate infliction of physical injury by either of you.”
But the judge added: “It is difficult to imagine a worse case of neglect than that which the court has encountered in this case.”
Although the couple had enjoyed the benefits of the NHS during the first 30 years of their own lives, the judge said, they had “denied this advantage to Abiyah for misplaced ideological reasons”.
“I am sure each of you played a part in starving him and failing to get medical care for him when the need for it was obvious to you.”
Former fitness instructor Tai told police in interview that he had carried out an “eight-day ritual’ hoping that Abiyah would “come back”.
But he added he eventually decided to conduct a burial in accordance with his culture on what he regarded as sacred ground.
The pair said they were living in a “kingdom” set up by Tai, which involved an unsupplemented vegan diet and adherence to a ‘slick law” legal framework he had invented.
Jurors heard they married in 2015 and changed their names from Donald Nnah and Donna Graham after forming what they viewed as their own religion.
A post-mortem examination of Abiyah’s “skeletal” remains and other tests failed to identify how he d!ed, but suggested he was also suffering from severe dental decay and six fractures to his right arm, legs and ribs, possibly caused by a fall about six weeks before his de@th.
The couple were eventually arrested in December 2022 while living in a caravan in Glastonbury, Somerset, having previously spent time living in a shipping container.
Police visited the property three times: in February 2018 when Abiyah was alive; again in September 2021 after his de@th; and then in March 2022 to assist in the couple’s removal for non-payment of rent.
Opening the case for the Crown at the start of the trial, prosecutor Jonas Hankin KC claimed the couple had jointly neglected Abiyah by failing to provide him with enough food or any medical help.
During his closing speech to jurors, Mr Hankin alleged it would have been obvious to both defendants that Abiyah, whose teeth would have been wobbly, was in considerable pain from abscesses and other ailments.
Referring to a comment made by Abiyah’s mother that “nature has a way of doing things,” Mr Hankin told the court: “That is their attitude, ‘we’re right and nature will decide’. It is breathtaking arrogance and cruelty.”
Malnutrition of the severity suffered by Abiyah was simply not seen in the UK, the barrister said, with the defendants having “for reasons best known to themselves” driven themselves and their son into conditions more commonly seen in the developing world.
Couple jailed 44 years for starving, burying three-year-old son in garden
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metro
Ex-APC Women Leader Found Dead With Throat Slit in Bauchi
Ex-APC Women Leader Found Dead With Throat Slit in Bauchi
A former APC Women Leader in Bauchi South, Jemimah Dutse, has been found dead inside her residence in Bauchi State, with her throat allegedly slit by unidentified assailants.
Dutse was discovered in a pool of blood at her residence in Muazu New Layout, Yelwa, Bauchi, on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
The Bauchi State Police Command said the incident was reported at about 2:07pm by a 49-year-old man, following which detectives visited the residence and documented the scene.
Her body was subsequently evacuated to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, for medical examination and autopsy.
The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed that the case be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet and thorough investigation.
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The police said the investigation is focused on establishing the circumstances surrounding Dutse’s death and identifying the person or persons responsible.
The motive for the killing remains unknown, and authorities have not established any link between the death and Dutse’s previous political activities.
The command has appealed for calm and expressed condolences to Dutse’s family, friends and political associates, while assuring them that efforts are underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding her death.
The incident has also generated concern among residents and groups in Bauchi, with calls for a comprehensive investigation and improved security in the area.
The Take-It-Back Movement, Bauchi chapter, condemned the killing and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to identify and arrest those responsible.
The group also urged the authorities to conduct a high-powered investigation into the incident and strengthen security measures across Bauchi metropolis and surrounding communities.
Police said further developments would be communicated as the investigation progresses.
Ex-APC Women Leader Found Dead With Throat Slit in Bauchi
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metro
Kidnappers torture abducted corps members, slash ransom to N100m
Kidnappers torture abducted corps members, slash ransom to N100m
Relatives of 20 abducted corps members have raised fresh concerns over the safety of the victims, alleging that kidnappers have subjected them to physical torture while reducing their ransom demand to N100 million.
The prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were reportedly travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, on October 1.
The abductors initially reportedly demanded N50 million from each victim, putting the total ransom at N1 billion.
However, relatives said the kidnappers have now reduced the demand to N5 million per victim, bringing the total to N100 million.
The families also alleged that the abducted corps members were being beaten in captivity, including female victims, raising fears over their physical condition as the rescue operation continues.
A relative of one of the victims, Alimot Akande, said the situation had become increasingly frightening, appealing to the authorities to intensify efforts to secure the victims’ safe release.
According to the relatives, the abductors have maintained contact with some families through the phones of the captives and have used the communication to demand ransom.
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The families had earlier appealed to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, for intervention after the kidnappers reportedly demanded the initial N1 billion ransom.
Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified efforts to locate the kidnappers’ hideout and rescue the victims.
The Imo State Police Command said its operatives had traced the suspected kidnappers to a location in the bush. However, the operation has reportedly been complicated by intelligence that the area may have been planted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The police said drone surveillance was used to identify the suspected location of the captives, with plans underway to deploy additional operational equipment to safely access the area.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the rescue operation.
Nadada subsequently reviewed the security deployment and directed additional tactical resources towards efforts to rescue the abducted corps members.
Police authorities have assured the families that efforts are ongoing to locate the victims and bring them home safely.
There have also been varying reports over the exact number of people abducted and those already rescued. The police initially reported that some victims had been rescued after the attack, while relatives continued to maintain that 20 prospective corps members remained affected by the abduction.
The two buses involved in the incident have reportedly been recovered as security agencies continue operations around the area.
The Oyo State Government has also joined efforts to secure the release of the victims, maintaining contact with the Imo State Government and security agencies.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prospective corps members travelling to NYSC orientation camps, particularly along major highways where kidnapping remains a persistent security challenge.
For the affected families, the immediate priority remains the safe return of their loved ones as security agencies work to overcome the reported explosives threat and reach the suspected kidnappers’ hideout.
Kidnappers torture abducted corps members, slash ransom to N100m
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metro
Family seeks N10m to free kidnapped newlywed, other victims
Family seeks N10m to free kidnapped newlywed, other victims
The family of a newlywed woman kidnapped in Kwara State has appealed to Nigerians for financial assistance to raise ₦10 million being sought for the release of her and other victims still held by their abductors.
The victims were among six passengers reportedly abducted along the Eruku-Iyemero Road, a route linking communities in Kwara and Kogi states.
The incident involved newlyweds Funmilayo Bamidele and Rev. Abiodun David, who were travelling with other passengers when suspected kidnappers intercepted their vehicle.
Following the abduction, the victims’ vehicle was reportedly found abandoned around Ayetoro in Ekiti State, prompting security agencies and authorities from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti to intensify efforts to locate the victims and rescue them.
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The family of Precious Alonge, one of those abducted, has now appealed for public support, saying they need to raise ₦10 million to secure the release of the captives.
The appeal comes amid growing concern over the safety of travellers using the route, which has witnessed security challenges and kidnapping incidents.
One of the six abducted passengers has reportedly been rescued, while efforts are continuing to secure the release of those still in captivity.
The families of the victims have continued to appeal for assistance as security agencies work to locate the kidnappers and secure the safe return of the remaining captives.
The incident has renewed concerns about kidnapping along inter-state roads in Nigeria, particularly routes connecting communities across Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states.
Security authorities have yet to provide a full account of the circumstances surrounding the abduction or disclose details of any arrests made in connection with the incident.
The families are urging members of the public, community leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians to support their efforts to secure the safe release of the remaining victims.
Family seeks N10m to free kidnapped newlywed, other victims
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