Police Launch Manhunt for Judge’s Wife Over Alleged Abuse of 14-Year-Old Abuja Maid

There was Otrage after a disturbing video surfaced online, allegedly showing the brutalized state of a 14-year-old girl, Bashariya, who was reportedly abused, starved, and burned by the wife of a judge in Abuja.

The incident has prompted swift action from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, which has launched a manhunt for the accused woman, identified as Fauziya, the wife of a Sokoto-based judge, Barrister Abbakar Zaki.

Bashariya, a young girl from Zamfara State who had fled her community due to banditry, had been living in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp near Gwiwa Eka before she was taken to Abuja by Fauziya under the pretense of being offered a better life.

Instead, she became the victim of horrifying abuse.

According to eyewitness accounts and a viral video that brought the case to national attention, Bashariya was consistently denied food, beaten, and even subjected to burns with fire. The footage showed her in a frail, injured condition—her body visibly scarred and emaciated.

Neighbors who noticed signs of physical torture eventually intervened and rescued her, taking her for emergency medical attention.

Her father, also a displaced person from Zamfara, told Sahara Reporters that Fauziya repeatedly mocked efforts to seek justice, allegedly saying that nothing could be done to her or her husband because they “represent the highest authority.”

He said the abuse had continued for months, with little access to help or protection for the child.

Following the public outcry over the video, the FCT Police Command moved quickly to take action.

Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh confirmed that the Commissioner of Police has directed all divisional police officers to locate and arrest Fauziya immediately. She also issued a warning to households employing minors as domestic workers.

“Parents and guardians must not hand over children to individuals who cannot take proper care of them. The public must remember: if you see something, say something,” Adeh said.

The case has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups, child advocacy organizations, and citizens across Nigeria. Activists are calling for the urgent prosecution of those responsible and for stronger regulations against child domestic labour, which remains widespread and under-policed across the country.

Legal analysts note that the fact the accused is married to a serving judge raises serious concerns about accountability and possible attempts to suppress justice.

However, the police have pledged that no individual, regardless of their social status or connections, will be shielded from the law.

Bashariya is currently receiving medical treatment and is under the protection of concerned citizens and advocacy groups. Efforts are underway to ensure her full recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration into a safe environment.

As the manhunt continues, the FCT police are urging anyone with information on Fauziya’s whereabouts to come forward. The case has become a national symbol of the urgent need to protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable and ensure that abuse—no matter how hidden or protected—never goes unpunished.