A housewife, Rabi Nuhu, of Magama Gumau in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, has been accused of inflicting severe burns on her five-year-old stepdaughter for allegedly bedwetting.

 

The incident, confirmed by the Bauchi State Police Command, comes barely a week after a separate case in the same community where another minor was reportedly burnt with a hot knife over allegations of witchcraft.

 

According to community member and human rights activist Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, the child—whose mother died a year ago—has suffered repeated abuse since moving in with her father Mohammed Umar and stepmother.

 

“To prevent further punishment, the father bought her a separate mattress, but the violence continued,” Abdulkadir said. “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.”

 

He also alleged that the suspect frequently vented marital frustrations on the child.

 

Mohammed Umar, who works with an online TV station, told journalists his wife had often complained about the girl’s bedwetting. He said he initially believed her claim that the child’s burns came from spilled hot tea, until the uncle reported the abuse.

 

Police spokesperson CSP Mohammed Wakil confirmed the case in a Monday statement, saying it was reported on 13 September 2025 at about 3:00 p.m.

 

“The victim sustained burns on her lower abdomen, thighs, and buttocks,” Wakil said, adding that Commissioner of Police Sani Omolori Aliyu has ordered the suspect’s immediate arrest and the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for thorough investigation.