‘Aunty, Biko’: Woman Faces Attempted Murder Charge Over Alleged Knife Attack on 12-Year-Old Girl
The Abia State Police Command says a 35-year-old woman, Nwoko Gift, will be charged with attempted murder over the alleged knife attack on her 12-year-old niece, an incident that sparked nationwide outrage after a disturbing video surfaced online.
The suspect was arrested after she was allegedly captured in a viral video attempting to slit the girl’s throat with a kitchen knife at their residence in Umuahia.
Police spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, said in a statement that preliminary investigations revealed the suspect allegedly attacked the child because she failed to spread clothes before the woman left for the market.
According to the police, operatives attached to the World Bank Divisional Police Headquarters acted on intelligence, rescued the victim, arrested the suspect and recovered the kitchen knife allegedly used in the attack.
Investigators also alleged that the suspect had repeatedly assaulted and threatened to kill the girl before the incident.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, while the suspect will be charged with attempted murder upon the conclusion of investigations.
The video, which circulated widely on social media, showed the terrified girl crying, “Aunty, biko” (“Please, aunty”) as she pleaded for mercy while the woman allegedly beat her and raised a knife toward her neck. The attack was eventually stopped after a man at the scene intervened and disarmed the suspect.
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The incident has reignited concerns over child abuse in Nigeria, with many Nigerians calling for stricter enforcement of child protection laws and tougher penalties for offenders.
The Abia State Police Command condemned the incident and urged members of the public to promptly report cases of child abuse and other forms of violence to the nearest police station.
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