Abia Police Arrest Woman for Allegedly Attempting to Kill 12-Year-Old Niece

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a 35-year-old woman, identified as Nwoko Gift, for allegedly attempting to kill her 12-year-old niece, Miss Ebo Chimamanda, at their residence in IBB Housing Estate, Umuahia.

The arrest followed the circulation of a viral video on social media showing a woman allegedly attempting to attack a young girl with a kitchen knife.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, preliminary investigations revealed that the incident occurred on July 5, 2026, after the suspect allegedly became enraged because the child failed to spread clothes before she left for the market.

Police said the suspect, who is from Ehimembano in Imo State but resides in Umuahia, allegedly attempted to kill the girl, who lives with her. Investigators also discovered that the victim had reportedly been subjected to repeated beatings and threats to her life by the suspect.

Acting on actionable intelligence, operatives of the World Bank Divisional Police Headquarters in Umuahia responded swiftly to the scene, rescued the victim, arrested the suspect, and recovered a kitchen knife believed to have been used in the attack.

The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, while the suspect is expected to be charged with attempted murder upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Police Command condemned the incident, urging members of the public to refrain from all forms of violence and to promptly report similar cases to the nearest police station.