The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a man for allegedly beating his teenage daughter to death after she reportedly resisted attempts to marry a suitor chosen for her.
The suspect, identified as Kabir Sani, a commercial driver residing in the Shagari Low-Cost area of Katsina metropolis, was apprehended by operatives of the Katsina Central Market Police Division shortly after the incident.
Residents said the deceased, Ummul Khair, believed to be between 16 and 18 years old, had repeatedly opposed her father's plan to marry her off to a man of his choice, a disagreement that allegedly caused persistent tension within the family.
According to eyewitnesses, the suspect allegedly began assaulting the teenager on Wednesday. Neighbours who heard her cries reportedly knocked on the family's door several times in an attempt to intervene, but were denied access.
The beating was said to have continued into Thursday morning until the teenager lost consciousness.
The incident came to light when some of the deceased's friends visited the house on Thursday to accompany her to school. They allegedly found her lifeless while her father was preparing to bury her and immediately alerted neighbours, who informed the police.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the neighbourhood was devastated by the incident.
"We heard her crying throughout the night and tried several times to intervene, but her father refused to open the door. By Thursday morning, we learnt she had died. Everyone in the neighbourhood was devastated," the resident said.
Another resident alleged that the teenager had insisted on choosing her own future, while her father remained determined to marry her to his preferred suitor.
The victim was buried on Thursday at the Abbatoir Cemetery in Katsina metropolis in accordance with Islamic rites.
Police sources confirmed that the suspect remains in custody as detectives investigate the circumstances surrounding the girl's death.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Sadik Aliyu, confirmed awareness of the incident, adding that further details would be made available after the investigation is concluded.
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