The police in Abuja are searching for Fauziya, the wife of a Sokoto judge, who is accused of brutally abusing 14-year-old Bashariya, a displaced girl from Zamfara State.
Bashariya’s parents fled their home in Zamfara due to bandit attacks and settled in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp near Gwiwa Eka. They later allowed their daughter to work as a maid in Abuja, hoping she would have a better life. But instead, she faced terrible abuse.
Also Read:
- FG Declares Thursday Public Holiday for Democracy Day
- Pastor Paul Adefarasin Denies Holding Gun in Viral Video
According to videos and accounts from her family, Fauziya starved and beat the girl, and even burned her body. Neighbours who saw her condition rescued her and gave her emergency help.
Bashariya’s father said Fauziya had bragged that no one could punish her or her husband because they were “the highest authority.”
The police said they were not informed about the case at first, but are now fully involved. The spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed that the Commissioner of Police has ordered all divisional officers to find and arrest the suspect quickly.
SP Adeh warned against child abuse and hiring children as domestic workers when they cannot be properly cared for.
“She strongly advises members of the public against acts of child abuse and emphasises that anyone who knows they are not capable of properly caring for a child should refrain from taking on such responsibility,” Adeh said.
She added, “When you see something, say something. Together, we can ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child in our communities.”
The case has shocked many Nigerians and sparked calls for justice under the hashtag #JusticeForBashariya.