Borno Police Arrest Couple for Brutalizing 11-Year-Old Girl Over Mango Theft

 

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a couple following the circulation of a disturbing video showing the physical abuse of an 11-year-old girl in the Pompomari area of Maiduguri.

A video of Mr. Muhammad Shettima, 33, mercilessly flogging the young girl after she entered his compound to pluck mangoes went viral on Friday, March 21, 2025. His wife, Mrs. Aishatu Abubakar, 23, recorded and shared the footage online.

Eyewitnesses reported that the young girl and her friends were walking home from school when they noticed an open gate leading to a compound with a mango tree. Driven by youthful curiosity, they entered and picked some mangoes.

However, a group of Almajiri children spotted them and apprehended one of the girls, handing her over to a woman residing in the house.

The woman then instructed her husband to brutally punish the child.

Following the public outrage over the viral video, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) swiftly intervened, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

Confirming their arrest, the spokesperson of the Borno Police Command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, stated:

"On March 19, 2025, an 11-year-old girl, Hauwa Mohammed Goni, a Primary 5 pupil of Bolori Primary School, Federal Low Cost, entered the residence of Mr. Muhammad Shettima in Pompomari to pluck mangoes. In response, Mr. Shettima and his wife subjected her to severe flogging, while Mrs. Aishatu recorded the incident and shared the video on social media."

The video sparked outrage, prompting civil society organizations and legal groups, including Potential Attorneys, to petition for the couple’s arrest.

With the help of concerned citizens and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the couple was arrested and taken into custody.

Following the brutal assault, Hauwa was rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where she is receiving medical attention and responding to treatment.

The Borno Police Command confirmed that the suspects are being held at the Gender Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) while investigations continue.

ASP Daso assured the public that the case would be thoroughly investigated, and the suspects would be prosecuted under the Child Protection Law and the Borno State Penal Code Law.

"For accountability and transparency, the Command will continue to provide updates on the progress of the case," he added.

The barbaric act has reignited conversations about child abuse, domestic violence, and the need for stronger enforcement of child protection laws in Nigeria.