37-year-old woman, Udeogu Chinelo, who was arrested for beating a three-year-old to death in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said the deceased is her grandchild.
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that Udeogu was arrested by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) after she beat her maid to death and dumped the body in a bush.
The spokesperson of NAPTIP command in Anambra State, Okafor Anthony, in a statement released today October 6, said the suspect was arrested by NAPTIP operatives in a primary school in Awka where she had earlier enrolled the victim who she claimed was her granddaughter and had gone to collect back the school fees she paid for the victim.
Okafor said, “While being questioned on the whereabout of the victim, she disclosed that the victim had died.
“The suspect led the operatives of NAPTIP to the scene where she disposed the body of the victim. On arriving the scene the victim’s decomposing body was found wrapped in a black nylon bag where the suspect dumped her in the bush around Hezekiah Dike Crescent Awka.
“The suspect claimed that the deceased victim is her granddaughter. The victim was reported to have died on the 29th September, 2022.”
Further investigations by LIB reveal that the suspect had taken the deceased to the primary school on Tuesday, October 4, for enrollment. Upon getting to the school and dropping her off, the teachers observed the different marks of torture on the child. They immediately called Chinelo back to come and take the child home as she looked very unhealthy.
The concerned school authorities then laid a complaint at NAPTIP. Displeased by the observant nature of the teachers, the suspect is said to have stopped the child from returning to school.
NAPTIP officials tried to reach her repeatedly so they can get hold of the child and also get her arrested but it proved abortive. The anti-trafficking operatives then connived with the school authorities to lure her to the school with promises of returning the money she had paid for enrollment for the child.
The suspect was said to have visited the school yesterday, October 5, and was immediately arrested. Upon inquiry on the whereabouts of the child, she said the little girl had died. She claimed she beat the deceased some days ago and left marks on her body because she defecated in a bucket they used in having their bath at home. She later led the NAPTIP officials to the bush where she dumped the child’s body.
When asked about her relationship with the deceased, the suspect claimed she is her grandchild who was given birth to by her 19-year-old daughter. She said her daughter welcomed the child three years ago and abandoned the baby with her afterward.
NAPTIP said the suspect has now been handed over to the Police for further investigation.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident said the suspect is now in police custody.