…neighbours claimed the child had been subjected to repeated abuse and forced to carry out strenuous errands.
LAGOS, NIGERIA- The iNews Times| Residents of Igando in Lagos State have been thrown into shock following the death of a 10-year-old child, Faith, allegedly at the hands of her adoptive parents, Paul Onyeama and Adline Ogbonna.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred on Sunday, April 26, after weeks of alleged maltreatment. Neighbours claimed the child had been subjected to repeated abuse and forced to carry out strenuous errands, even while reportedly ill for about two weeks.
A resident, Adekunle Taofeek, said the situation worsened when the couple allegedly assaulted the child despite her fragile condition.
“The girl had been consistently maltreated and sent on unnecessary errands. She was sick for about two weeks, yet the abuse continued. On Sunday, they allegedly beat her severely, and sadly, she didn’t survive,” he said.
Sources revealed that the couple later took Faith to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival.
Another resident, who spoke anonymously, alleged that the suspects initially tried to conceal the incident.
“They kept her body in the room and acted as though nothing had happened. It was neighbours who became suspicious and raised the alarm. If not, the situation might have gone unnoticed,” the source said.
Angered by the development, some youths in the community reportedly apprehended the woman, while the man was later caught after allegedly attempting to arrange transportation to dispose of the body.
The case was subsequently reported to the Nigeria Police Force at the Igando Division, leading to the arrest of both suspects and the recovery of the child’s remains.
A police source disclosed that preliminary findings suggest that Faith was already dead before she was taken to the hospital. The case is expected to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for further investigation.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement, but investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
