The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a housewife, Rabi Nuhu, for allegedly inflicting severe burns on her five-year-old stepdaughter in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area of the state.
Police spokesperson, Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday, noting that it was reported on September 13, 2025.
He said the child sustained burns on her lower abdomen, thighs, and buttocks, adding that Commissioner of Police, Sani Omolori Aliyu, ordered the immediate arrest of the suspect and directed that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for proper investigation.
A local human rights activist, Kabiru Mohammed, revealed that the girl lost her mother a year ago and had since been living with her father and stepmother.
According to him, the victim had long endured abuse, which worsened despite her father’s attempt to ease tensions by providing her with a separate mattress.
“The girl confided in her uncle that her stepmother burnt her because she bedwets frequently.
It was the uncle who raised the alarm and reported the matter to the police,” Mohammed said, alleging that the woman often vented her marital frustrations on the child.
The victim’s father, Mohammad Umar, admitted that his wife had repeatedly complained about the child’s bedwetting.
He explained that when he first noticed burns on his daughter, his wife claimed hot tea had spilled on her—a story he initially believed until the abuse was exposed.
The police have assured that investigations are ongoing and promised that justice will be served.