Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: John Jeff.
A pastor in Cross River State has been arrested after a 13-year-old girl, Nancy Peter, allegedly died following a severe beating over the theft of ₦30,000, in a case that has sparked outrage and renewed debate over child discipline, corporal punishment and child protection in Nigeria.
The incident occurred on Sunday, June 1, 2026, in Wula community, Boki Local Government Area, where Roman Samson, the General Overseer of Goodness of Jesus Ministry, allegedly flogged the teenager after she was brought to him by her mother, Agnes Peter.
According to accounts obtained from investigators and local reports, Nancy had long been accused by her mother of repeated theft. Agnes reportedly told police that her daughter had stolen from her several times in the past and that she often sought help from Pastor Samson whenever disciplinary issues arose.
Community members said Pastor Samson had previously intervened on more than 20 occasions, usually by scolding Nancy and warning her against stealing before sending her home. This pattern reportedly built a strong relationship of trust between the pastor and the family, particularly after Samson allegedly supported Agnes financially following marital separation from her husband.
According to Samson’s statement after his arrest, Agnes and her children had once been in serious financial difficulty after being abandoned by her husband.
> “When the woman came, she had nothing. She was rejected by her husband with two children. I began to fund their schools and their upkeep. God answered her prayers through me,” Samson reportedly told journalists.
Police said events turned tragic on the morning of June 1 after Agnes discovered ₦30,000 missing and accused Nancy of stealing it. Frustrated by what she described as repeated theft, she took the teenager to the pastor’s residence for what she said was disciplinary intervention.
At this point, the accounts of Agnes and Samson sharply diverge.
Agnes denied instructing the pastor to physically assault her daughter. She told investigators she only wanted him to counsel and scold Nancy, insisting she never authorised a beating.
> “I only wanted him to help scold and counsel her. I was not there when he beat my daughter to death,” she reportedly said.
However, Samson gave a different account. He claimed Agnes explicitly requested that Nancy be beaten and even told him she had already flogged the girl herself before bringing her to church.
According to the pastor, he then retrieved a horsewhip and flogged Nancy repeatedly.
> “She told me that the girl stole her ₦30,000 and asked that I should beat her. She also stated that she had already beaten her, but wanted me to also beat her. I went for my horsewhip and gave her about 13 to 15 strokes, when I discovered she had become very weak,” Samson said.
Investigators said Nancy had already confessed to taking the money and revealed where it was hidden — inside a trouser pocket. The missing cash was eventually recovered.
Agnes reportedly left to retrieve the money while Nancy remained alone with the pastor. On her way back, she allegedly met Samson rushing the unconscious teenager to a hospital.
Nancy was pronounced dead on arrival.
Medical experts note that repeated whipping, especially with hard objects such as canes or horsewhips, can cause severe internal trauma even when external injuries appear limited. Blows to the torso may trigger internal bleeding, organ damage or cardiac complications, particularly in children.
The case has triggered widespread condemnation from child rights advocates, who argue that corporal punishment remains deeply normalised in many homes, schools and religious settings despite mounting evidence of its dangers.
Under the Child Rights Act 2003, children are protected from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. Legal experts say parental consent does not shield an individual from criminal liability where punishment results in serious injury or death.
Both Pastor Samson and Agnes Peter have now been arrested and are being held by the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Cross River.
Police spokesperson ASP Sunday Eitokpah confirmed the arrests and said investigations remain ongoing to determine the degree of culpability of each suspect.
The tragedy has left Wula community in shock, with many residents struggling to understand how an act intended as discipline ended in death. The case has also reopened broader national questions about the role of religious leaders in family disputes and the dangerous line between correction and abuse.
As the investigation continues, many Nigerians are calling for justice for Nancy and stronger enforcement of child protection laws to prevent similar tragedies.
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