A tragic case of child abuse has surfaced in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where a housewife, Rabi Nuhu, allegedly inflicted serious burns on her five-year-old stepdaughter as punishment for bedwetting.
The disturbing incident comes barely a week after another young girl in the same community was reportedly assaulted by her brother’s wife, who allegedly burnt her private part with a heated knife over accusations of witchcraft.
The latest victim, who lost her mother about a year ago, has been living with her father, Mohammed Umar, and his new wife.
Community members allege that the girl has endured persistent violence in the home since then.
Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, a resident and human rights advocate, revealed that the maltreatment had been ongoing long before it came to public attention.
“To prevent further punishment, the father bought her a separate mattress, but the violence continued. The girl later confided in her uncle that her stepmother burnt her private part because she bed wets frequently.
”It was the uncle who reported the matter to the police,” Abdulkadir explained.
He further claimed that the suspect often directed her anger from marital issues toward the child.
Mohammed Umar, the victim’s father and an employee of an online television station, told journalists that his wife had consistently complained about the child’s bedwetting.
He admitted that he purchased a separate mattress to ease tensions but initially accepted his wife’s account that the burns were caused by spilled hot tea.
State Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Mohammed Wakil, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Monday, noting that the matter was reported on September 13, 2025, at about 3:00 pm.
“The victim sustained burns on her lower abdomen, thighs, and buttocks,” Wakil said, adding that Commissioner of Police, Sani Omolori Aliyu, had ordered the suspect’s immediate arrest and directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed investigation.
