The police command in Kano has arrested a 30-year-old pregnant woman, Hauwa’u Auwal, a resident of Sheka (New Abuja) Quarters for allegedly bathing her co-wife, alongside her four-year-old daughter with hot water.
The suspect was said to have committed the act after suspecting her step-daughter of pouring detergent in the water she (suspect) kept in the toilet for sanitary purpose.
Chronicle gathered that the attack left the victims with severe burns on their bodies.
The spokesman of the command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who confirmed the report, said the two victims were responding to treatment at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.
“On 22 January, 2021, at about 10pm, Malam Babangida Ibrahim from Sheka quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area reported that Hauwa’u Umar had poured hot water on his second wife, Sha’awa Muhammad and her four-year-old daughter, Halima Khalid. As a result they had sustained various degrees of injuries.” He said upon completion of investigation, the suspect would be charged to court.
Responding to inquiries on a radio programme monitored by our reporter, the victim said their husband was at home when the incident happened, adding that she was with their husband after her co-wife had reported her daughter when the enraged Hauwa’u poured hot water on her and her daughter.
“After she had poured hot water on me and my daughter she went ahead to hold me by my neck saying she must see to my end,” the victim added.
Malama Binta Yusuf, Sha’awa’s mother urged the authorities to ensure that justice is done for her daughter and grandchild.
The suspect, who admitted to the crime, however, insisted that it was not intentional and that she regretted the act.
She said she found out that the daughter of her co-wife poured detergent in the water she kept in the bathroom for her (suspect) bath and as she reported the matter to their husband, the victim came in which resulted in a confrontation.
“This is not the first time I am having this experience (of someone spoiling her bathwater) but I have never caught anybody in the act. After that I went to report to my husband and I met him praying and he asked if the water had been rendered useless and I said yes. At that point my co-wife had brought food for our husband and when I was complaining she started shouting at me which got me furious. At that point, I was having the remaining hot water in a cup, then out of anger the water slipped from my hand and spilled on them,” she said.
Chronicle learnt that human rights activists in the state have since indicated interest in taking up the case to ensure that the suspect is brought to book.
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