Woman poisons co-wife’s two children in Niger, one dies

A woman, Mariya Abdullahi, has been arrested by the Niger State Police Command for allegedly poisoning her co-wife’s two children in Takuti community, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, following her inability to have children of her own.

The tragedy resulted in the death of a one-year-old boy, while the two-year-old girl is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Lapai, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE INCIDENT

According to a police source, Mariya allegedly mixed a poisonous substance into the food and water given to the children by the co-wife’s elder sister.

“Two children were taken ill on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after a woman served them pap with water suspected to have been poisoned,” the source said.

“The one-year-old was rushed to the General Hospital in Lapai, where he was pronounced dead. The two-year-old girl, who was also affected, is responding to treatment at the same hospital.”

The suspect was subsequently arrested following a report to the police by the children’s father, Alhaji Abdullahi, who noticed the children’s sudden illness and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

THE SUSPECT’S CONFESSION

During interrogation, Mariya reportedly confessed to the crime, stating that she was driven by jealousy and frustration over her inability to bear a child after years of marriage.

“I have been married for seven years without a child, while my co-wife has children,” she said. “When I saw the way she was taking care of them, I felt bad. I thought if I cannot have children, she should not have peace of mind.”

She allegedly admitted to buying a poisonous substance from a local market and adding it to the children’s food and water.

THE POLICE RESPONSE

The Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

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“The case is under investigation. The suspect will be charged to court after the investigation is completed,” he said.

WHY IT MATTERS

This is a tragedy that has shattered a family and left a mother grieving the loss of her one-year-old son while nursing her two-year-old daughter back to health.

The suspect’s alleged confession reveals a level of desperation and jealousy that defies comprehension. She could not have children, so she decided to take away her co-wife’s children. It is a crime that should not have happened.

The police have made an arrest. The investigation continues. And the family will never be the same again. ValidViewNetwork reports.