A woman identified as Khadija has allegedly beating her 11-year-old daughter, Fadila, to death over a missing ₦100 in the Tukur area of Zaria, Kaduna State.
The incident reportedly happened on Saturday just before the Maghrib prayer.
It was gathered that Khadija used a pestle to beat the girl after accusing her of stealing the money given to her during Sallah celebration.
The act sparked outrage in the neighbourhood, with some residents boycotting the girl’s funeral in protest.
“This is not the first time she’s beaten the girl. Whenever there’s a problem with her hawking, she beats her like she’s not her own child,” a woman in the area alleged.
Another resident said: “We refused to pray over her because justice was denied. Everyone acted like nothing happened.”
The woman’s husband, Malam Mustapha Musa, said he was not at home when the incident occurred.
“I came back to meet the situation. I don’t know how it happened,” he said.
Khadija admitted to beating her daughter but denied any intention to kill her.
“Yes, I beat her, but I didn’t mean to kill her. Only the children were at home at the time,” she claimed.
Fadila’s father later took her body to their hometown in Kano for burial, saying, “I’ve left everything to God.”
A local vigilante official said Khadija and her husband were initially invited for questioning but were handed over to the police upon their arrival.
The Kaduna State Police Command has not issued statement on the incident.
