The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a housewife, Rabi Nuhu, in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, for allegedly brutalising her five-year-old stepdaughter and inflicting severe burns on her private part over repeated bedwetting.
The victim, who tragically lost her biological mother about a year ago, lives with her father, Mohammed Umar, and his new wife, but has reportedly endured consistent abuse in the household.
According to a resident of the area and human rights activist, Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, the child had been subjected to violent treatment for several days before the matter came to public attention. “To avoid problems with his wife, the girl’s father bought her a separate mattress. Yet, the maltreatment continued. Shockingly, the little girl later confided in her uncle, telling him that her stepmother had burnt her private part simply because she often wet the bed. It was the uncle who escalated the matter and reported it to the police,” Abdulkadir disclosed.
He further alleged that the suspect frequently transferred her anger with her husband onto the innocent child.
The victim’s father, Mohammed Umar, who works with an online television station, admitted that his wife had repeatedly complained about the child’s bedwetting. In a bid to address the situation, he bought a different mattress for the girl. Umar said he initially believed his wife’s explanation that the girl’s burns were caused by spilled hot tea, until further investigations revealed otherwise.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Bauchi State Police Command, CSP Mohammed Wakil, said the case was officially reported on September 13, 2025, at about 3:00 p.m. “The victim sustained severe burns on her lower abdomen, thighs, and buttocks,” Wakil stated.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Sani Omolori Aliyu, had ordered the immediate arrest of the suspect and directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet and thorough investigation.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents and child rights advocates, who have called for justice and stricter measures to protect vulnerable children from domestic abuse.
Meanwhile, the little girl is said to be receiving medical treatment for her injuries as investigations continue.
