Enugu Woman Arrested Over Alleged Killing of Stepdaughter

Police authorities in Enugu State have arrested a woman, identified as Ogechi John, over the alleged death of her nine-year-old stepdaughter following reported prolonged abuse.

The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development.

The ministry disclosed in a statement on Monday that the incident occurred on Sunday at Nchatancha Nike near the Emene area in Enugu East Local Government Area.

The suspect, said to be from Oderiko community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was reportedly taken into custody on Monday morning.

Authorities identified the deceased child as Amanda John.

According to the ministry, residents in the area alleged that the girl had repeatedly suffered physical abuse and harsh treatment from her stepmother before her death.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Ngozi Enih, condemned the alleged act and vowed that the state government would ensure justice was served.

She said the administration of Peter Mbah remained committed to protecting children and would not tolerate any form of abuse or violence against minors.

“So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested,” the commissioner said.

“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.”

She added that no individual had the right to take another person’s life, especially that of a child, stressing that the government viewed the incident seriously.

The case has since generated outrage among residents and child rights advocates, with renewed calls for stricter enforcement of laws protecting children from abuse and violence.

Under Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act, murder and manslaughter are criminal offences punishable by law. Section 319 of the law prescribes death sentence for murder, while Section 325 provides life imprisonment for manslaughter depending on the circumstances surrounding the offence.

Police authorities were yet to provide further details on the investigation as of the time of filing this report.