From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
A young woman from Logo Local Government Area of Benue state has killed her 11 months old baby by poisoning.
The woman identified as Sughshater Ushahemba was said to have fed her baby with chemicals used for killing grasses last Saturday, November 11.
Speaking to newsmen on phone, on Monday, the Information officer, Logo LGA, Mr Paul Pevikyaa, said they had interviewed the lady who told the a different story.
Pevikyaa said Ushahemba had told them that the baby had taken ill that Saturday night at about 12:31a.m with high fever and died after two hours.
She had, however, aroused suspicion from her neighbours and villagers when she set out to bury the baby at dawn without informing anyone.
The information officer said, “She is from one of the Council wards in Logo Local Government Area. Logo is made up of 10 council wards, so she is from Mbadyul council ward.
“When she was interviewed, she said they were all in bed and at about 12:31a.m, the baby started having a high fever. She said the body was so hot to a point that the baby gave up in an interval of 2 hours.
“So that the mistake she made was when day broke, she failed to inform her neighbours that this was what happened in the night because there is a strong belief that when you have neighbours and when you are having difficulties at night, at least you can call your neighbours to help you and they can be your witness. But she never did that.
“So when day brake, she now attempted burying the baby. The baby is 11 months old.
“So if it is not an intentional kind of a thing, you must inform the next person. So for her to have attempted doing that without telling anyone, it means there was a skeleton in her cupboard.”
He said when the woman was further questioned, she confessed real reason why she killed her child.
Pevikyaa said the young woman said she was impregnated by her boyfriend and after she gave birth to a baby girl, the boy abandoned her with the child.
According to her, she was suffering with the child and that was why she poison the baby.
“She gave her this chemical that is used to kill grasses,” he said.
He described the incident as unfortunate saying people that has money are looking for children and someone is killing an 11 months old baby that is almost trying to walk.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident saying the suspect is currently in custody.