A couple in Maiduguri, Borno State, has been arrested for assaulting an 11-year-old schoolgirl who plucked mangoes from their compound.
The incident, which took place in the Pompomari area, sparked public outrage after a video of the assault went viral on social media. The suspects, identified as 33-year-old Muhammad Shetima and his wife, 23-year-old Aishatu Abubakar, were arrested with the help of concerned citizens and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
According to the police, the victim, Hauwa Mohammed Goni, a Primary 5 pupil of Bolori Primary School, entered the couple’s residence on March 19 to pick mangoes. In response, Shetima and his wife subjected her to severe flogging, with Aishatu reportedly recording and sharing the video online.
Public outcry and a petition filed by legal advocacy group Potential Attorneys led to the swift intervention of law enforcement authorities. The girl has since been taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment and is responding well.
The suspects are currently in custody at the Gender Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), while investigations continue. Police have assured the public that they will be prosecuted under the Child Protection Law and the Borno State Penal Code.
