DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Police arrest woman for assaulting 12-year-old niece with knife in Abia

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • Police in Abia State, Nigeria, arrested a 35-year-old woman for allegedly attempting to kill her 12-year-old niece with a kitchen knife.
  • The incident, captured on a viral video, showed the woman kneeling over the girl and striking her while she cried out.
  • The suspect reportedly became enraged because the niece failed to spread clothes before the aunt left for the market, and she had a history of abuse against the child.

A 35-year-old woman, Nwoko Gift, has been arrested by the Abia State Police Command for allegedly attempting to murder her 12-year-old niece, Ebo Chimamanda, with a kitchen knife. The arrest followed the circulation of a disturbing video on social media depicting the assault.

The video shows Gift kneeling over the young girl, who is lying face down, repeatedly striking her while holding a kitchen knife. The niece can be heard crying and pleading, "Aunty no," as she struggles. Bystanders gathered as a man intervened and separated the two.

Preliminary investigation reveals that on 05/07/2026, Mrs Nwoko Gift, female, 35 years old, of Ehimembano Imo State but resides at IBB Housing Estate, Umuahia, the aunt to Miss Ebo Chimamanda (female, 12 years) of the same address, on the same date attempted to kill Miss Ebo Chimamanda, who stays with her, on the basis that she refused to spread the clothes she was asked to spread before the suspect (Mrs Gift) left for the market.

— DSP Maureen ChinakaPolice Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, detailing the preliminary findings of the incident.

According to a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, the incident occurred on July 5, 2026, at IBB Housing Estate, Umuahia. Preliminary investigations indicate that Gift attacked Chimamanda because the child allegedly refused to spread clothes before Gift went to the market.

Investigation also revealed that the suspect has repeatedly beaten and has been threatening to kill young Miss Chimamanda.

— DSP Maureen ChinakaPolice Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, describing the suspect's history of abuse.

The police statement also revealed that the suspect has a history of abuse and threats against the victim. "Investigation also revealed that the suspect has repeatedly beaten and has been threatening to kill young Miss Chimamanda," the statement read.

Operatives from the World Bank Divisional Police Headquarters in Umuahia responded to intelligence, rescued the victim, and apprehended the suspect, recovering the kitchen knife. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, and Gift is expected to be charged with attempted murder.

Operatives from the World Bank Divisional Police Headquarters, Umuahia, raced to the scene leveraging on actionable intelligence, rescued the victim, apprehended the suspect, and recovered the exhibit knife.

— DSP Maureen ChinakaPolice Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, on the police response and recovery of evidence.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog