The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Saviour Otu Adim, over the alleged murder of his six-year-old stepdaughter, Goodness Ekpo Okon, in Bakassi Local Government Area of the state.

The command said the suspect was arrested following a report made by Mrs Itoro Udofia at about 8:30 a.m. yesterday.
According to the police, Udofia alleged that Adim assaulted the child, resulting in her death

The command, in a statement signed by its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect had allegedly accused the child of being a witch.

The police said the suspect remained in custody, while the remains of the deceased had been deposited at a mortuary for autopsy.

It added that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Calabar, for further investigation.

The command urged members of the public to protect children and promptly report suspected cases of abuse to the appropriate authorities.

It also cautioned against spreading unverified information or taking the law into their own hands.

The police assured that investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death would continue.