A woman, Mariya Abdullahi, has allegedly poisoned her co-wife’s two children in Takuti community, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, following her inability to have children of her own.
PUNCH Online gathered that the children, aged four and nine, drank a substance suspected to be poison from a cup allegedly given to them by Abdullahi.
One of the children died shortly after drinking the substance, while the other was rushed to a general hospital, where she was receiving treatment as of the time of filing this report.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday when Abdullahi allegedly gave the children the substance after being encouraged to do so by a friend.
Abdullahi reportedly told the police at the Lapai Division that she decided to poison the children because she had not given her husband a child and had been influenced by her friend.
The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident on Saturday, saying the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Minna for further investigation.
He said, “On 6th November, 2026 at about 6am, a report was received in Lapai Div that one Mariya Abdullahi of Takuti via Lapai administered some substance suspected to be poison to the children of her co-wife.”
“The Police operatives moved to the scene, discovered the two children, who were 9 & 4yrs, were given the substance to drink, and as a result, they became unconscious.”
“They were immediately rushed to a nearby clinic, but on arrival at the clinic, one of the victims gave up the ghost and the other was referred to the general hospital responding to the treatment.”
“The suspect was arrested and she is undergoing further interrogation. She claimed that she was influenced by a friend to commit the act because she couldn’t bear a child for her husband.”
“She will soon be transferred to SCID Minna for diligent prosecution.”
@ Punch Newspaper
