Mrs. Ugochukwu Ebere, the guardian of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly assaulted, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command.
PUNCH Metroexclusively reported on Wednesday, January 21, that the primary six pupil had narrated to a Good Samaritan, identified simply as Rukayat, how her guardian flogged her on January, 11 and sprinkled pepper on the scars on her back.
It was learnt that the state’s Office of the Public Defender and Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on Wednesday evening, went with policemen to arrest the woman at her rented apartment on Mohammed Akinje Street, in the Ejigbo area of the state. The move, it was gathered, was orchestrated by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has also intervened in the matter of the 15-year-old victim.
PUNCH Metroexclusively reported on Wednesday, January 21, that the primary six pupil had narrated to a Good Samaritan, identified simply as Rukayat, how her guardian flogged her on January, 11 and sprinkled pepper on the scars on her back.
It was also said that the minor declined to report the alleged assault to the police for fear of being flogged again by the woman.
She had told Rukayat, who met her while she was groaning in pain on the street, that the woman beat her on the fateful day for sending one of her daughters to bring her soap to do the dishes.
However, Ugochukwu, debunked the victim’s claim, stating that she beat her for stealing and masturbating; the latter act of which she said Amadi had started teaching her daughters.
Although the victim owned up to the allegations, she maintained that she was beaten for sending the daughter on errand.
The Director, OPD, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi, when contacted on the phone said the deputy governor had ordered the agency and WAPA to trail the guardian after reading about the report in the papers.
Rotimi, however, expressed displeasure on the ‘detention’ of the girl in police custody.
She said, “The deputy governor drew our attention to the story. My team and WAPA officials under her directive went to the Ejigbo Police Station and requested policemen. The woman was eventually arrested.
“We wanted to have the girl in our care until prosecution would start. But unfortunately, the DPO refused to release her. She is not a suspect in this matter so why should she be forced to sleep in the station?”
On his part, Falana said his chambers would petition the police and ensure that the girl gets justice. He also urged people to report cases of child abuse to appropriate authorities.
He said, “Under the law, the girl does not have to report to the police. Any human rights organisation can report and take it up on her behalf. The new fundamental rights procedure rules have turned everybody into his brother’s keeper.
“We are going to petition the police authorities so that the matter can be taken seriously and investigated with a view to bringing the culprits to book.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said neither Ugochukwu nor the girl was being detained.
He said, “Both the girl and the woman are with us under protective custody. The woman is pregnant. We are not detaining them. We are ready to work with the OPD as soon as it formally writes us to investigate the matter.”
