Police have arrested Mrs. Unyime Bassey, the wife of a local pastor, following allegations that she physically assaulted her five-year-old niece at their home in Stream Road, Atimbo, Calabar Municipality.
The incident reportedly occurred while the child, identified as Edidiong (name partially withheld), was assisting her aunt with childcare. A video of the alleged assault circulated on social media, drawing widespread condemnation and prompting swift police action.
According to the Cross River State Police Command, officers from “A Division, Calabar” apprehended Mrs. Bassey on March 11, 2026, at approximately 10:45 a.m. Preliminary investigations indicate the child was struck with a spatula, sustaining injuries around the right eye and bruises on several parts of her body. A medical examination confirmed these injuries, consistent with physical abuse.
Neighbours told journalists the assault was allegedly triggered by the minor taking meat from a pot of soup. They added that prior punishments, though less severe, had reportedly occurred. The niece lives with her aunt and uncle while attending school irregularly, unlike Mrs. Bassey’s biological children.
