A shocking case of child abuse has sent waves of outrage through Lagos and beyond as the Nigerian Police have arrested a woman, Chinwendu Onyeneho, for burning her seven-year-old daughter with a hot electric iron in a disturbing act of punishment.
The appalling incident occurred on Thursday night at No. 11 Oshimyemi Street, located in the Ogba area of Lagos State. According to witnesses, the child had been asked to serve meat to her younger brother. After allegedly eating a portion of the meat herself, her mother responded by plugging in an electric iron and pressing it onto the girl’s skin, causing severe burns.
The case has ignited widespread condemnation from civil society, with human rights advocates, particularly the Take-It-Back Movement, at the forefront of the campaign demanding swift justice.
A neighbor who witnessed the act told SaharaReporters:
“She asked her daughter to serve meat to her younger brother, but when she noticed the girl ate from it, she plugged an electric iron and used it to burn her. This happened right before our eyes.”
When the neighbor confronted Chinwendu about the cruelty, the response was one of arrogance and dismissal.
“She told me it was none of my business and dared me to do my worst,” the neighbor recalled.
Sources say Onyeneho initially coerced her daughter to lie, instructing her to claim she had burned herself accidentally. But pressure from concerned residents and advocacy from the Take-It-Back Movement forced the truth into the open.
The group immediately alerted the Nigeria Police Force Area G Command, prompting the arrest of Onyeneho. She is currently being held in custody as investigations proceed.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Faniyi Abayomi, confirmed the arrest and ongoing investigation:
“We’ve received the complaint, and the neighbour is currently here with us making a formal statement. The department handling child welfare is on it,” Abayomi said.
This harrowing case has once again brought attention to domestic violence and child abuse in Nigeria, with activists calling for stricter enforcement of child protection laws and better public education on non-violent parenting.
The child is now safe and receiving care.
If you suspect a child is being abused, report to local authorities immediately. Silence enables violence.
READ MORE:
