Poverty: Father abandons 5-yr-old son over N14k bag of rice in Kano

A poor father whose family has been dying of hunger decided to exchange one of his children for a bag of rice.

Bags of rice on display 

(Mobofree)

The poverty currently ravaging the country is gradually making citizens devise various means of staying afloat, either legally or illegally. This situation led to a middle-aged man identified as Mallam Yusuf Bala, to abandon his five-year-old son for a bag of rice at the Singer Market in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, KanoNewsToday reports.

It was gathered that Mallam Bala had gone to the market with his young son and approached the rice dealer who gave his name as Alhaji Suleiman Bagudu, to buy a bag of rice. He then told Bagudu that he had forgotten the money at home and needed to hurry home to bring the money. He reportedly left with the bag of rice while he left his son behind, promising to come back with the money, about N14,000, in a short while.

But six hours after, Mallam Bala had not returned with the money and to collect his son from the custody of Alhaji Bagudu.

According to a source, the rice dealer became suspicious following the Bala’s prolonged absence, a situation that prompted him to interrogate the toddler he left behind and the young boy innocently led the rice dealer to their home in the abattoir area of Koki in Dala Local Government Area of the state.

When Alhaji Bagudu got to the house, he met a thoroughly embarrased Bala allegedly confessed that he was financially handicapped, hence his decision to abandon his son in exchange for the rice as his family was starving.

After listening to Bala’s explanation, Alhaji Bagudu was said to have felt pity for him and donated the bag of rice to him and handed over the boy to his father.