A woman has been arrested in Takuti community, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, after police allege she poisoned the children of her co‑wife. The incident, which took place at about 6 a.m. on Friday 6 November 2026, left one child dead and the other in hospital.
According to the Niger State Police Command, Mariya Abdullahi is accused of giving a substance suspected to be poison to the two children, aged four and nine. The children became unconscious and were rushed to a nearby clinic, where one died on arrival. The surviving child was transferred to a general hospital and is reportedly responding to treatment.
Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun said the suspect was taken into custody and is currently being interrogated. In a statement, he added that preliminary investigations suggest Abdullahi claimed she was influenced by a friend to commit the act because she could not bear a child for her husband.
Abiodun further announced that Abdullahi will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.
“On 6th November, 2026, at about 6 a.m., a report was received at Lapai Division that one Mariya Abdullahi of Takuti, via Lapai, administered some substance suspected to be poison to the children of her co‑wife. Police operatives moved to the scene and discovered that the two children, aged nine and four, had been given the substance to drink, as a result of which they became unconscious. They were immediately rushed to a nearby clinic, but on arrival, one of the victims gave up the ghost, while the other was referred to the general hospital and is responding to treatment. The suspect was arrested and is undergoing further interrogation. She claimed that she was influenced by a friend to commit the act because she could not bear a child for her husband. She will soon be transferred to SCID Minna for diligent prosecution.” — Police statement
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
