A young schoolgirl has been hospitalized at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) after suffering severe injuries from a brutal beating by a man identified as Mamman Shettima Baba.
The assault, which was captured on video and widely circulated on social media, showed Shettima Baba mercilessly flogging the girl with a thick stick while his wife recorded the attack, urging him to “beat her more.”
According to eyewitnesses, the girl and her friends were returning home from school when they saw an open gate with a mango tree inside. Curious, they entered the compound and plucked some mangoes. Some Almajiri children reportedly caught one of the girls and handed her over to the woman living in the house, who then ordered her husband to punish her violently.
The girl was left with multiple bruises and injuries, prompting concerned residents to rush her to UMTH for urgent medical attention. Doctors have confirmed that while she is responding to treatment, she remains under close observation due to the severity of the assault.
Following public outrage, operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) arrested Shettima Baba. NSCDC Commandant Abdulrazaq Haroon confirmed the arrest, stating that preliminary investigations revealed the suspect admitted to the beating, claiming students had been persistently plucking mangoes from his tree.
The brutality of the attack has drawn widespread condemnation from legal practitioners, child rights activists, and the public, with calls for strict legal action against the suspect. Human rights organizations have also demanded stronger measures to prevent such acts of violence against minors.
Authorities have assured the public that the case is being investigated, and justice will be served. Further updates will be provided as more details emerge.
Zagazol Makama ( X)
