Tragedy struck during the week in Owode community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State following the killing of a 20-month-old boy by his 10-year-old stepsister.
On December 15, the suspect, Suliya Abubakar, who hails from Sokoto State allegedly threw her stepbrother, Usman Abubakar, into a well in their residence.
The late Usman was earlier feared to had been kidnapped after he could not be found within the premises by his parents.
Narrating how the incident happened, the primary 3 pupil, who was weeping uncontrollably, said that she never knew her action will result in the death of her brother.
However, the little girl said since her mother separated from her father, Usman’s mother had been maltreating her, with her father also showing much affection for her late stepbrother.
According to her, the action towards the late Usman was due to the hatred she had for her stepmother.
Suliya also disclosed that before it was discovered that she was behind the death of her stepbrother, her father had told her to lie that her mother kidnapped Usman.
She said, “My step mum was maltreating me. At times, Usman will pass excreta in the plate we use to eat, but his mother will use the same plate to give me food.
“When I insist that I will not eat the food, she starts beating me until I finish the food. Immediately after eating the food, I’ll start vomiting.
“On the day of the incident, the same thing had happened. Later in the evening, I went to fetch water from the well and Usman followed me. A voice whispered to me that I should push him into the well and I did it. But I never knew that he will die.
“When they started looking for him and they couldn’t find him, my dad told me to lie that it’s my mother who sneaked into our home to kidnap Usman.
“When I was told that everyone in the house will be taken to the palace of the monarch to swear through traditional means, it’s then that I confessed.”
Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bolaji Salami said, “15th December 2020, at about 0600hrs, at Owode, behind Central Mosque, Akure, one Suliya Abubakar aged 10, threw his stepbrother aged one year eight months into the well. She initially told their father that someone had kidnapped her brother one Usman Abubakar.
“She later informed her parent that the boy was inside the well, the deceased’s corpse was later recovered from the well. On receipt of the information, Detectives swung into action and arrested the suspect.
“On interrogation, she confessed to the crime. The suspect will soon be arraigned in court.”