Woman who couldn't give husband a child arrested for poisoning co-wife's children, one dies

• A woman identified as Mariya Abdullahi allegedly poisoned her co-wife's two children in Takuti, Lapai LGA of Niger State.

• One child died after drinking the suspected poison, while the second child is receiving treatment in hospital.

• The suspect allegedly told police she acted because she had been unable to bear children for her husband and claimed a friend encouraged her.

• Niger State Police confirmed the arrest and said the suspect will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for prosecution.

A heartbreaking incident has left residents of Takuti community in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State in shock after a woman allegedly poisoned two children belonging to her co-wife, reportedly because she had been unable to have children for her husband.

The suspect, identified as Mariya Abdullahi, was said to have given the children, aged four and nine, a cup containing a substance suspected to be poison.

According to reports, the children drank from the cup and shortly afterwards became unconscious.

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They were rushed to a nearby clinic, but one of the children was confirmed dead on arrival. The second child was later transferred to a general hospital, where she is reportedly responding to treatment.

Police investigations revealed that the incident happened on November 6, 2026, and Abdullahi was arrested shortly afterwards.

She allegedly confessed during interrogation that she committed the act because she had not been able to give her husband a child. She also reportedly claimed that a friend encouraged her to carry out the attack.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.

"On 6th November, 2026, at about 6am, a report was received at Lapai Division that one Mariya Abdullahi of Takuti, via Lapai, administered some substance suspected to be poison to the children of her co-wife.

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"The police operatives moved to the scene and discovered that the two children, aged nine and four, had been given the substance to drink and, as a result, became unconscious.

"They were immediately rushed to a nearby clinic, but on arrival at the clinic, one of the victims gave up the ghost, while the other was referred to the general hospital and is responding to treatment.

"The suspect was arrested and is undergoing further interrogation. She claimed that she was influenced by a friend to commit the act because she couldn't bear a child for her husband.

"She will soon be transferred to SCID Minna for diligent prosecution," Abiodun said.

The case has sparked conversations online about domestic conflicts, mental health, jealousy within polygamous homes and the devastating consequences of violence against children.

Police say investigations are still ongoing.