The police in Taraba State have arrested a 42-year-old housewife, Ngozi Onwuasoala, for allegedly burning the lips of her eight-year-old step grandson, Julius Chinecherem.
The acting police spokesperson in the state, Gambo Kwache, confirmed her arrest on Monday in Jalingo, the state capital.
Kwache said the case was before the Criminal Investigation Department while the culprit was in custody at the Wukari division.
The boy, on admission at the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Wukari, had his lips burned with firewood for reportedly misplacing N500.
The police arrested the woman on Wednesday following a tip-off from concerned community members.
The Chairman of Wukari Local Government, Samaila Dauda, also confirmed the incident saying, “The authorities have acted quickly in response to the situation, and the accused is currently in detention.”
Dauda said the woman would be arraigned soon as community members demanded justice for the lad.
Islamic cleric allegedly beheads 14-year-old boy for ritual purposes
Also, a Muslim cleric allegedly beheaded a 14-year-old boy, identified as Malik Kareem, for ritual purposes in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday.
It was learnt that the tragic incident which has thrown the area into confusion occurred at the Olorisaoko community in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
The victim reportedly wrote his final subject for the West Africa Examination Council at Iyana Community Grammar School, Olode, Moniya, Ibadan.
According to sources, the victim, alongside his three other age groups, contacted a Muslim cleric, now at large, for a money ritual on Saturday.
However, the victim was unaware that the three other boys had bargained with the cleric to kill him for a money ritual.
Confirming the development, a family source who spoke said, “I was at home when one of my brothers ran to the house to inform me about the unfortunate incident. We quickly rushed down to the place to confirm it. When we got there, the Muslim cleric had already run away, but we found the victim’s lifeless body on the ground without a head.
“He was found in a pool of blood in that Islamic cleric’s house. The head has already been cremated.
“The other three boys had earlier bargained with the cleric that they would use their friend for a money ritual. So, when they got there, he (the victim) was strangled to death, beheaded and cremated. They will be using it to take pap every day, according to what they told us.”
Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, has confirmed that investigations had already commenced on the incident.
He said, “Investigations have commenced on the incident, and you will be updated accordingly.”
