A nursing mother, Folake Ogunrinu, has been arrested by operatives of the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly lacerating her 10-year-old maid with a razor blade in the Sanyo area of Ibadan.
PUNCH Metro
gathered that the suspect, who had accused the victim of stealing her
baby’s milk, in a bid to discipline her, subjected the girl to torture
by allegedly using a razor blade to lacerate her on the back and hand,
leaving the girl with severe injuries.
An eyewitness, who pleaded
anonymity, while condemning the action of the nursing mother, said the
maid ran out of the house to get help from neighbours when she could no
longer withstand the pain from the torture.
The eyewitness said,
“It pains me to see a small girl in such pain; it was a terrible scene.
The woman accused the girl of stealing her baby’s milk and subjected her
to such a horrible torture. According to the victim, the woman used a
razor blade to lacerate her back and when she could no longer cope with
the torture, she ran out of the house and the woman still chased after
her.
“It was when the girl ran out that we saw what had happened
to her and forcefully took her away and rushed her to the hospital for
treatment.
“From what we were told, the woman gave birth to a set
of twins some months back and I think the girl was brought to her by a
church member to assist the woman for a year. As small as the girl is,
the woman usually made her to do all the house chores. I wonder why the
girl has still not returned to her parents.
“We reported the
matter at the Sanyo Police Station; I just hope that from this incident,
people will learn to keep their kids under their watch no matter the
situation they are experiencing.”
A reliable source, who did not
want his name in print, said the victim’s family had refused to press
charges against the woman, adding that the family members were willing
to settle the case out of court.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the news
of the torture, which is trending online, was greeted with condemnation
of the woman’s action by Nigerians from diverse backgrounds.
Adeogun
Oluwakayode, while condemning the torture on his Facebook page said, a
government agency and a non-governmental organisation had taken up the
case to get justice for the victim.
He said, “Let us be careful
of the kind of discipline we administer to our children or anyone in our
custody. The aim of discipline should be to encourage the child to stop
negative behaviours, make positive choices and ultimately become a
better person, and not to inflict pain or cause injury.
“Anyway,
the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and
the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation have taken
up the case. The wicked woman has been arrested.”
Musa Maria,
who also criticised the suspect said, “What do you think of your own
children when you do this to other people’s children?”
The state
Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the
incident to our correspondent, said the woman had been arrested and her
case file transferred to the state Criminal Investigation and
Intelligence Department, Iyaganku, on the orders of the Commissioner of
Police, Abiodun Odude.
“I am aware of the case; the suspect has
been arrested and on the directive of the CP, Abiodun Odude, the case
has been transferred to the state CIID, Iyaganku, for diligent
investigation and prosecution. But I am also aware that the victim is
related to the suspect,” Ajisebutu said.
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