The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a woman, Chinwendu Onyeneho, for allegedly using a hot electric iron to burn her seven-year-old daughter as punishment for eating a piece of meat from a pot.
The disturbing incident occurred on Thursday night at No. 11 Oshimyemi Street, Ogba area of Lagos, drawing swift outrage from civil society groups and residents.
According to eyewitnesses, Onyeneho reportedly asked her daughter to serve meat to her younger sibling but became enraged when she noticed the girl had eaten part of it.
She then allegedly plugged in an electric iron and used it to inflict multiple burns on the child’s body in full view of neighbours.
A witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “She asked her daughter to give meat to her younger brother.
When she noticed the girl tasted it, she got angry, plugged an electric iron, and used it to burn the child. We were all shocked. It happened right before our eyes.”
The neighbour added that when confronted over the cruelty, Onyeneho responded with defiance, telling people to mind their business.
“She told me I had no right to question her and dared me to do my worst,” the neighbour said.
Further reports indicated that Onyeneho initially attempted to coerce her daughter into lying about the incident. “She told the child to say she burned herself by accident,” another source revealed.
The Take-It-Back Movement, a civil rights organisation, was instrumental in escalating the matter by alerting the Nigeria Police Force at Area G Command in Ogba.
The group has since called for full prosecution of the suspect and justice for the injured child.
Confirming the arrest, the Area Commander, ACP Faniyi Abayomi, said the matter was receiving urgent attention. “We’ve received the complaint. The neighbour who reported it is with us making a formal statement.
“The department responsible for child welfare and domestic abuse is handling the investigation,” Abayomi told our correspondent on Friday morning.
The victim is currently receiving medical care, while police say further updates will follow as investigations progress.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians calling for stricter penalties for child abuse and greater enforcement of child protection laws.
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