The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested one Rachel Geoffrey for allegedly setting the hands of her stepchildren on fire for eating cooked rice without permission.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, in a statement on Saturday, titled Cruelty to Children and Human Rights Violations, said Rachael was arrested on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at a Federal Housing estate in the Girei Local Government Area of the state.
According to the police spokesman, the children’s stepmother had prepared the rice and set it aside for her husband, the father of the children, but the hungry children ate the food.
Angered by the children’s action, the 23-year-old suspect had tied the hands of seven-year-old Genesis Geoffrey and Ijadai, 3, together with a handkerchief before setting it ablaze.
The statement read, “On the 15/5/2024 the Command arrested a 23-year-old Rachel Geoffrey a resident of Federal Housing estate, Girei local government area who on the 14/5/2024 intentionally inflicted severe physical injuries on her 7 and 3 years stepchildren.
“The victims Genesis Geoffrey 7 years and Ijadai Geoffrey 3 years faced several calculated acts of cruelty and Human rights violations from their stepmother
after the separation of their mother from their father.
“Most worrisome is the recent incident in which she cooked Rice and kept it for her husband who happened to be the father of the victims and then went out, the kids who were hungry took and ate their father’s food.
“That angered her, she then tied their hands with a handkerchief making them powerless and set fire to their hands resulting in the severe injuries they sustained.
“The Commissioner of Police CP Dankombo Morris, Psc (+), expressed worries as he advised members of the public, particularly parents, to live up to expectation in providing necessaries to their wards and assured diligent prosecution of the suspect.”
