Abuja Police Hunt for Woman Accused of Horrific Child Abuse

Abuja, FCT – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has launched an urgent manhunt for a woman suspected of serially abusing and starving a 14-year-old housemaid in Abuja. The swift action by the police comes in response to a widely circulated video that has ignited outrage, showing the young victim, identified as Bashariya, detailing her horrific ordeal.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Adewale Ajao, has personally ordered the immediate arrest of the perpetrator.

“Although the incident was not initially reported to the police, the Commissioner of Police, Adewale Ajao, has directed all Divisional Police Officers within the FCT to urgently identify and arrest the woman involved,” stated SP Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command.

In the distressing video, Bashariya, who hails from Zamfara State, recounts how her parents fled their community due to relentless bandit attacks and sought refuge at the Gwiwa Eka IDP camp. In a desperate bid for a better life, she was brought to Abuja to work as a domestic servant.

However, her hopes for a new beginning quickly turned into a nightmare. The frightened girl revealed she was routinely deprived of food, subjected to severe beatings, and even burned.

Visible lashes and burn scars across her body in the video served as stark evidence of the unimaginable cruelty she endured.CP Ajao strongly condemned the heinous act, emphasizing the police’s commitment to protecting children.

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“The CP strongly condemns any act of child abuse. He emphasises that anyone who knows they are not capable of properly caring for a child should refrain from taking on such responsibility.

No child should be made to suffer such cruelty,” Adeh stressed.As of Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the police investigation is ongoing, with all divisional police units within the FCT tasked with locating and apprehending the suspect.

The public is urged to provide any information that could assist the police in bringing the alleged abuser to justice and ensuring Bashariya receives the care and protection she desperately needs.

This case serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerability of children, particularly those displaced and seeking a livelihood, and the urgent need for heightened vigilance against child abuse.