Residents of the Igando area of Lagos have been thrown into shock after a couple, Paul Onyeama and Adline Ogbonna, allegedly beat their 10-year-old adopted daughter, Faith, to death.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday, followed weeks of alleged abuse inflicted on the child.
Findings revealed that the couple, who resided on Jemesi Papa Street, had allegedly subjected the girl to repeated assaults and strenuous errands despite her age.
A resident, Adekunle Taofeek, told journalists that the situation worsened when the child, who had reportedly been ill for about two weeks, was allegedly beaten severely by the couple, leading to her death.
He said the suspects later rushed the victim to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival.
Angered by the development, youths in the community reportedly apprehended the woman, while the husband was also intercepted after allegedly attempting to dispose of the body.
Another resident, who spoke anonymously, said neighbours became suspicious after noticing the child’s sudden disappearance, prompting them to raise the alarm.
The matter was subsequently reported at the Igando Police Division, leading to the arrest of the suspects and recovery of the child’s body.
A police source disclosed that the couple claimed during interrogation that the child died while receiving treatment at a hospital.
However, preliminary findings indicated that the victim was already dead before she was taken to the medical facility.
The case is expected to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigation.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.