A 25-year-old woman, identified as Erdoo Ugede, has been arrested for allegedly killing the two-month-old son of her husband’s alleged mistress in Ankyoov, Ikyogbaji Council Ward of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to community sources, the incident occurred after the suspect allegedly invited the child’s mother and infant to live in her matrimonial home despite knowing that the baby was fathered by her husband.
Residents said the suspect, who reportedly has no children of her own, insisted that the woman and her baby move into the family house, a request that did not initially raise suspicion among neighbours or relatives. A community source said the child’s mother had briefly gone to a nearby market on the day of the incident, leaving the two-month-old in the care of the suspect.
The source alleged that while the mother was away, Ugede struck the infant with an object, fatally injuring him. The baby’s cries reportedly attracted neighbours, who rushed into the house and prevented the suspect from fleeing.
The incident sparked outrage in the community, with some youths allegedly attempting to attack the suspect before other residents intervened and alerted the police. Officers from the Aliade Police Division reportedly arrived at the scene and took the suspect into custody.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report. Police are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident