14yr-old girl beaten to d£ath by pastor, mother in cross River

Grief swept through Wula community in Eastern Boki of Cross River State after a 14-year-old girl, Nancy Peter, was allegedly beaten to death by her mother and pastor.

According to the Cross River State Police Command, trouble started when accusations of theft were leveled against the teenager. Police spokesperson ASP Sunday Eitokpah said preliminary findings show the girl was first assaulted by her mother, Mrs Agnes Peter, 43, before being taken to Pastor Samson Roman Dago, 43, of a local church.

Eitokpah disclosed that the pastor then allegedly flogged Nancy repeatedly with a cane. The teenager reportedly lost consciousness during the punishment and was rushed to a health facility in Wula. Doctors confirmed her dead on arrival.

The police have since launched a full-scale investigation to piece together the exact sequence of events and establish the level of involvement of everyone linked to the incident.

However, the command has debunked viral claims that the girl was sexually assaulted, saying medical examinations have not produced any evidence to support that.

The community remains in shock as of the time of this report, and the death has revived difficult conversations about corporal punishment and how far discipline should go.

Child rights lawyer James Ibor, Principal Counsel at Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, condemned the incident. He said physical punishment often leaves scars deeper than the pain.

“It is reprehensible and heartbreaking that in 2026 this kind of barbaric act is still happening, years after the Child Rights Act was passed in 2023,” Ibor stated.

“A child should never be disciplined to the point of collapse. This is a tragedy that should never have happened. The police must ensure the girl gets justice and that this case is not forgotten like others.”

Both the mother and the pastor are currently being interrogated by police as investigations continue.