Woman arrested for murder of 9-year-old stepdaughter in Enugu

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - The Enugu State Government has confirmed the arrest of a woman, Mrs. Ogechi John, for alleged child homicide.

Mrs. John, who hails from Oderiko in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi State, was arrested by the police on Monday morning, May 11, 2026 for allegedly beating her stepdaughter, Ogechi Amanda John, aged 9, to d3ath at their Nchatancha residence in the Emene area of Enugu metropolis.

Neighbours reported that the incident allegedly occurred around 3pm on Sunday, May 10, noting that the late Miss Amanda had been a victim of constant and ruthless maltreatment at the hands of her stepmother.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, expressed the state government's anger over the incident, saying it would not relent until justice is done.

“It is on record that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, let alone child homicide. So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested,” she stated. 

“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.

“Nobody should take another’s life and certainly not the life of any child in Enugu State. We condemn it in totality."