A couple in Maiduguri, Borno State, has been arrested for assaulting an 11-year-old schoolgirl who entered their compound to pluck mangoes.
The suspects, Mohammed Shettima (33) and his wife, Aishatu Abubakar (23), allegedly flogged the girl, Hauwa Mohammed Goni, and even filmed the disturbing act before sharing it on social media.
Borno State Police Command confirmed the arrest after the viral video sparked outrage among concerned citizens and civil society organizations. The girl, a Primary 5 pupil of Bolori Primary School, was taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for medical care and is currently responding to treatment.
The couple was apprehended with the help of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and is now in custody at the Gender Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where investigations are ongoing before prosecution.
Authorities, including the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, have stepped in, offering support to the victim’s family. Meanwhile, government officials and civil society groups have strongly condemned the act, calling for justice under the Child Protection Law and the Borno State Penal Code.
As the case unfolds, the police have promised transparency and updates on the prosecution process.
