The police in Lagos state have arrested a housewife identified as Bose Ogedengbe for allegedly brutalising her ward, Favour 13, at their house on Bush Street, in the Anthony Village area of Lagos State. According to the police, Bose attacked Favour for using her childlessness to abuse her.
Favour was brought to Lagos by her father, a farmer, to reside with Bose's husband who is a relative.
Last Friday, Bose was rebuking Favour for a wrong deed and in the heat of their argument, Favour allegedly called her a childless woman. This got Bose angry and she attacked Favour.
Wasiu Ismail, an aluminium fabricator, who resides in the area where Favour ran to with blood all over her body, said
“Around 6.30am on Friday, an elderly man who lives on this street brought the girl. He said he saw her with blood all over her body. When I queried her, she said her guardian’s wife maltreated her every day and it was when it became unbearable that she decided to run away from the house.” he told Punch
Ismail said when the victim was queried on the reason for her being beaten, she claimed that she had washed some clothes the previous day. According to him, the 13-year-old said she had gone to remove the clothes from the line but some of them had yet to dry up. Bose, on discovering that some of the clothes were still wet, allegedly became angry and brutalised the victim.
“I asked if she wanted to go back, but she said she could not because the woman, who she called her aunt, would kill her,” he added.
Bose got wind of Favour's whereabout and stormed the place with Police men but the residents of the area refused to allow favour go with her. Favour on close observation had marks sustained from torture all over her body.
Suleiman Habeeb, a student, said they refused to release the teenager because they feared she might be returned to the Bose for further torture.
“Her version of the story was a bit different. She said the girl abused her that she was a witch and that was why she had not conceived. She said the girl’s grandma was behind the mischief. We told the woman not to think that she could use the police to harass us. We called different emergency numbers of Lagos State and sent distress calls to government agencies. Some youths wanted to beat up the woman, but we cautioned them. We are happy that the government has now taken over the case and we hope justice will be done. We want the government to take action against the woman. If you cannot take care of a child, return her to her parents and do your domestic chores yourself,” Habeeb said.
Speaking on the incident, the Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Youths and Social Development, Adeola Olabisi, said Favour has been taken into custody by the state government.
“The girl said the woman beats her up at the slightest provocation. She has fading and fresh scars to show for it. She wishes to continue staying in Lagos, but not with the woman. We have taken her into custody and handed over the suspect to the police for prosecution.”
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