Woman Assaulted After Being Accused of Attempting to Steal a 2-Year-Old in Gwagwalada

Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has reacted to an incident of mob assault in the Giri-Kpasere area of Gwagwalada, where a young woman was attacked by residents after being accused of attempting to steal a 2-year-old child.

The woman’s identity has not yet been disclosed.

According to eyewitness Danlami Habila, who spoke to Daily Trust, the incident occurred on October 11th around 5:12 p.m. He explained that the woman, dressed in a shirt and jeans, was seen carrying a crying child while trying to board a vehicle.

A passerby who recognized the child reportedly called the child’s name, and when the child responded, suspicions grew. The woman allegedly tried to cover the child with a wrapper, prompting the man to raise an alarm.

Within moments, a crowd gathered, and the situation quickly escalated into mob violence as several youths began to beat and strip the woman.

“In fact, there were some people who first saw the lady walking with the child and making frantic phone calls by the roadside, trying to stop a vehicle, but as nemesis would have it, she could not get a vehicle,”
said Danlami.

Elders in the community intervened and managed to rescue the woman, handing her over to the police for safety and further investigation.

Reacting to the incident, FCT Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh confirmed that officers from Tungan Maje Division responded swiftly to prevent the mob from killing the suspect.

She stated that a discreet investigation into the alleged child theft has begun, assuring the public that justice will be served in accordance with the law.

Adeh also cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands, emphasizing that mob justice is a criminal act that undermines the rule of law and ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security in the FCT.