Police Arrest Woman for Killing Own Baby in Benue

George Okoh In Makurdi

Police operatives  in Benue  Command have arrested a woman identified as Sughshater Ushahemba for allegedly killing her 11-month-old baby.

According to an eyewitness, the incident happened last Saturday at Mbadyur council ward in Logo Local Government Area of the State.

The young woman was said to have poisoned the baby in the early  hours of Saturday and decided to bury her  before she was caught by the villagers.

The young woman was said to have told the villagers that her baby developed high fever in the wee hours of Saturday and later died.

But after thorough probe, it was learned that the woman confessed to having poisoned the baby because the man that impregnated her abandoned her and the baby.

The Information Officer of Logo LGA, Paul Pevikyaa, who spoke to newsmen yesterday  said that the woman had earlier told people that the baby had taken ill in the night at about 12:31 am with high fever and died after two hours.

Pevikyaa further said that the woman later confessed to killing her baby because she was abandoned by the man who impregnated her.

According to him, “When the woman was interviewed, she said when they were asleep, at about 12:31 am the baby started having high fever and that the body was so hot that she gave up in an interval of two hours.

“She said that the mistake she made was at daybreak, she failed to inform her neighbours that this was what happened in the night because there is a strong belief that when you have neighbours and when you are having difficulties at night, at least you can call your neighbours to help you and they can be your witness. But she never did that.

“So when day broke, she now attempted burying the baby. The baby is 11 months old.”

Pevikyaa said that when people were not convinced by her report, they continued to question her and  she later confessed real reason she killed her child.

He added that the young woman said she was impregnated by her boyfriend and after she gave birth to a baby girl, the boy abandoned her with the child.

“She said she had been suffering with the child and that was why she poisoned the baby by giving her chemical that is used to spray grasses,” Pevikyaa said.

The spokesperson for Benue State Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident and said that the suspect is in police custody.