The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man, Amos Paul, for allegedly burning the private part of his 10-year-old daughter with a hot pressing iron as punishment for bedwetting.

The suspect, a resident of Unaun, Upenme in Owo Local Government Area of the state, was arrested after the incident was reported to the police on Thursday.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the child sustained severe burn injuries and was immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, where she is currently receiving treatment.

Jimoh said detectives from the ‘A’ Division in Owo responded swiftly to the report, mobilised to the scene and arrested the suspect without delay.

He disclosed that the case has been transferred to the Command’s Gender Unit for a discreet investigation and further action in line with established procedures.

Condemning the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, described the alleged act as “cruel, inhumane and completely unacceptable.”

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable members of society from abuse, violence and exploitation, assuring that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

The police commissioner also urged residents to promptly report cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other related offences to the nearest police station, stressing that public cooperation remains vital in protecting vulnerable persons.

The Command said investigations are ongoing, while the suspect remains in custody pending the outcome of the probe.

Saudi Arabia has updated its tourist eVisa programme for 2026, limiting eligibility in Africa to only three countries as part of its list of 66 nations whose citizens can apply through the Kingdom’s online visa platform.

The move leaves most African countries, including Nigeria, outside the simplified entry scheme.

The electronic visa allows eligible travellers to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism, leisure activities, family visits and Umrah, excluding the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Applications are completed online, eliminating the need for embassy visits and lengthy visa processing.

Saudi authorities said the eVisa forms part of ongoing efforts to expand tourism, attract international visitors and simplify travel procedures through a fully digital application system. The visa is available only to citizens of approved countries and territories listed on the Kingdom’s official tourism portal.

Below is the list of African countries eligible for Saudi Arabia’s eVisa.

1. Mauritius

2. Seychelles

3. South Africa

Anita Baaki, a physiotherapist friend and colleague of Mary Habila, the nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, has narrated the events leading to Habila’s death.

Her narration was contained in a sworn affidavit filed before the Ebonyi State High Court on Wednesday.

According to Baaki, a Benue citizen, she travelled with Habila and other ministry officials from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24, 2026, for an official assignment under the Minister of Works, David Umahi.

Baaki disclosed that they were accommodated in separate but adjoining rooms in a staff chalet within the minister’s country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.

The deceased’s friend maintained that the chalet was designated for ministry staff and associates and was not the minister’s personal residence, stressing that she last saw Habila alive on the evening of June 26 after she returned from having her hair done.

According to her, Habila stopped by her room to show off her new hairstyle before they chatted and joked for a while.

“Habila told me she was tired and wanted to take a shower before sleeping. That was the last time I saw her alive,” Baaki stated in the affidavit.

The physiotherapist said she became terrified the following morning when Habila did not come out of her room as expected, emphasising that repeated calls to Habila’s phone went unanswered, prompting her to knock on the door.

She revealed that when there was no response and the room remained locked from the inside, she alerted a domestic staff member to search the premises, noting that after Habila could not be found elsewhere, other staff members were informed and the room was forced open.

The Benue-born physiotherapist reiterated that Habila was found lying unconscious on the floor near the entrance of the room, adding that she was immediately taken to the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed that she was dead on arrival.

Baaki said her statement was made voluntarily and without coercion to assist investigators in determining the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.

Police investigations are ongoing, while lawyers representing the Minister of Works have requested a comprehensive forensic autopsy to determine the exact cause of death before Habila’s remains are released for burial.