Cossy Orjiakor: “Why I Reported My Neighbor To Police”

Cossy Orjiakor: “Why I Reported My Neighbor To Police”

Nollywood actress, Cossy Ojiakor, was in the news some days back over an alleged assault she suffered in the hands of her neighbour whom she claimed is always beating his wife and daughter.

On that particular day, the actress stated that she saw the man beating his wife and child and she tried to intervene. According to Cossy, the man also assaulted her in the process.

Giving an update of the incident to Sunday Scoop, she said:

“I have gone to the police station and from there, I went to the hospital to get my injuries treated. However, his wife and daughter, who also sustained injuries, haven’t been to the police station and the hospital. I reported a case of assault at the police station and some officers followed me to his house to arrest him but he hid. He will surely be brought to book.

“He has been doing it for a while. I decided to speak out this time because I was personally involved. I don’t care if their marriage breaks because I went public with the information. As a concerned neighbour, I can even provide the wife accommodation. This is no longer a case of domestic violence because he also assaulted me. I have been feeling pain all over my body, even the butt that I recently spent money on.”

Disputing the claim that the woman couldn’t leave simply because she was attracted to the man’s wealth, Ojiakor said:

“When they got married, they had nothing. The woman actually bought a property in her name and they now use it together. They actually worked together to get all the property they own now and I am not sure that he would release any to her. If she leaves him now, she will have to start her life from scratch and I think that is why she has been afraid to quit the marriage after giving 12 years of her life to him.

“In the Nigerian situation, it is the woman that usually suffers. I grew up in an abusive home because my father used to assault my mum; so, I know what it feels like. But he never touched us, the children.

That’s why I was enraged when this man hit his daughter. I know so much about them because I was a bridesmaid at their wedding. He only had a weather-beaten Benz in those days and the vehicle even refused to start on the day of their wedding. We are good neighbours and the man is actually nice but for his terrible habit of battering his wife.”

On her intention to remain single or a baby mother, Ojiakor said:

“A lot of men have proposed to me, and they had said I would have to stop posting pictures on social media or that I’d have to stop acting. Whenever I hear things like that, I run. My life is simple as a single lady; I can decide to clean my house or cook whenever I want to. However, when you marry, you basically turn to a slave.”

Explaining the kind of relationship she had with her dad, Cossy said:

“It was a love-hate relationship. I hated him for beating my mum and I loved him for being my dad. If there were channels for me to report him back then, I would have done that.”