Posted by Chinenye on Tue 28th Apr, 2026 - tori.ng
A heartbreaking case in Lagos State has sparked outrage after a 10-year-old adopted girl allegedly died following prolonged abuse in Igando.
(Paul Onyeama led to police van with the deceased. Photo Credit: Puch Newspaper)
In the Igando neighborhood of Lagos State, a couple named Paul Onyeama and Adline Ogbonna were accused of killing their 10-year-old adopted daughter by beatings, shocking the locals.
According to information obtained by PUNCH Metro, the tragedy happened on Sunday after weeks of suspected harassment.
The youngster was allegedly exposed to ongoing abuse by the pair who lived on Jemesi Papa Street, including frequent assaults and being sent on demanding errands despite her young age.
Faith, the girl, was apparently unwell for almost two weeks, yet the alleged abuse allegedly persisted.
Adekunle Taofeek, a resident, told PUNCH Metro on Monday that the situation worsened on Sunday when the sick child was allegedly violently abused by the husband and wife, resulting in her death.
"The couple had adopted a 10-year-old girl," he stated. In addition to sending the girl on pointless errands, they had been abusing and assaulting her on a regular basis.
"I was told that the girl had been ill for roughly two weeks, but the torture persisted. Despite her condition, the youngster was apparently violently beaten by both her husband and wife yesterday, and she tragically passed away.
The woman was reportedly taken by the suspects to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Young people in the neighborhood were incensed by the development after learning about the incident apprehended the woman.
Another resident, who requested anonymity for personal reasons, told our correspondent that the husband, who had allegedly left home earlier to procure a tricycle to dispose of the girl’s corpse, was also held by the youths.
“The moment the girl died, they kept her corpse in the room and acted as though nothing had happened. The wife even came out this morning to cook in the kitchen like nothing had happened.
Before they learned that the girl had passed away, the locals who had been watching what was happening voiced concerns about her location. The resident stated that no one would have known her location if they had been successful in getting rid of the body.
He further stated that the Igando Police Division was notified of the incident right away.
Following the deployment of police officers to the scene, the child's body was recovered and the couple was arrested.
According to a police source who spoke to PUNCH Metro, the suspects said during questioning that the girl was ill and passed away while undergoing medical care.
The youngster was already dead when she was taken to the hospital, according to our initial findings. The State Criminal inquiry Department in Panti will receive the case for additional inquiry, according to the source.
Speaking further about the incident, Taofeek, the Take It Back Movement's state organizer, stated that Faith's death was confirmed by the hospital where she was transferred.
"The suspect told me that the girl was ill, that they hurried her to the hospital, and that she passed away while getting treatment while I was questioning him. I then inquired as to which hospital was involved.
"Unfortunately for him, both my personal physician and I know the doctor there."
I called the doctor to verify the claim, and he confirmed that a child was brought to the hospital, but she was already dead on arrival,” he added.
Taofeek also vowed that justice would be pursued in the matter.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for comments as calls to her telephone line were not answered. A text message sent to her had yet to be replied to as of the time of filing this report.
A similar occurrence occurred in April 2025 in the Ojo region of Lagos State, according to PUNCH Metro, where a man allegedly beat his daughter to death.