Police arrest woman in Benue over alleged fatal beating of brother's daughter in N500 dispute

Police in Benue State have arrested a woman in connection with the alleged beating death of her brother's daughter. The incident took place in Jato-Aka, in Kwande Local Government Area, on Sunday, October 5, 2026. John Tyokoso said in a Facebook post that the woman accused her brother's children of stealing N500 and then gave them severe corporal punishment. According to the post, she tied up the female child, put her under the hot sun, applied pepper to her eyes, anus, vagina and armpit, and beat her until the girl could not endure the pain and died. After the woman allegedly discovered that the girl had died, the post said, she moved the body into a room and locked the door. Neighbors heard about the incident and confronted her, but she denied the assault and claimed the rope found at the scene belonged to a goat that had been left loose. The neighbors forced the door open and found the girl's body on the ground. Tyokoso wrote that the woman's name was not disclosed and identified her as a daughter of Iorember, who lives around Baaki, near Hope Academy Nursery, Primary and Secondary School in Jato-Aka. He said she accused the children of taking her N500 on October 5, 2026, and instead of questioning them, she resorted to corporal punishment. According to the post, after beating the girl, the woman tied her up, exposed her to the hot sun, and repeatedly applied pepper to her eyes, anus, vagina and armpit while continuing to beat her. The child eventually died from the agony. The post added that when the woman realized the girl had died, she quickly moved the body inside, locked the door, untied the child, and left the rope outside as though nothing had happened. When suspicion arose, the post said, she denied responsibility and said the rope belonged to a loose goat. Others who learned of the incident insisted on opening the door, and the dead girl was found on the ground. A male child survived with a fractured hand, according to the account. Tyokoso also wrote that the children's grandmother was present but did not stop her daughter from inflicting the pain. Instead, he said, she defended her daughter and asked eyewitnesses whether it was the first time someone had beaten a child to death. He thanked the Nigeria Police Force in Jato-Aka for responding quickly, intervening, and arresting the woman. In the post, Tyokoso wrote, 'What a wicked world. Uwu Aondo.' He also urged the people of Jato-Aka in Kwande, Benue State, to reject the behavior he described and to work on fixing the situation. He added, 'This is pure wickedness and evil. This issue must not die like that, please. Haba.'