The Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested and detained a housewife and resident of Oke Oniti area of Osogbo, Osun state, Zainab for bathing her 11-year-old daughter (name withheld) with hot water after she reportedly refused to run an errand for her.

The NSCDC spokesperson for the Command, Daniel Adigun on Tuesday confirmed the suspect arrest during an interview.

He said, “The woman was cooking when the incident happened. She injured the victim with hot water obviously out of frustration. We are proceeding with our investigation.”

Speaking on the incident that led to the arrest of the suspect, a neighbour to the housewife, who pleaded anonymity, said Zainab had sent her daughter to grind pepper, while the girl refused.

“In anger, the woman attacked the girl with hot water and inflicted injury on her. Immediately after the incident happened, a woman, who has a shop nearby, rushed inside the house and dragged the suspect out. The woman and another neighbour, a man beat her up.

“The neighbours also took the victim to the hospital and paid the bill. The woman had the girl in her first marriage before she got married to her present husband. On the day she poured hot water on the girl, the victim lost the key to their apartment, but she later found it. But the mother insisted on beating her and the girl was scared to go near the house.

“It was after that incident that the mother told her to grind pepper, but the girl did not run the errand. She thought that the mother wanted to lure her in and punish her. The mother later seized the girl and poured hot water on her, causing her bodily injury,” the neighbour said.