Operatives of Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN, Ebutte Metta chapter,
have rescued a 12-year-old girl (names withheld), who was battered by
her father in Lagos.
It was gathered that the victim was found in critical condition at
Oyingbo market, Ebute- Metta, following beatings she allegedly received
from her father.
A close family source said: “The victim, a Junior Secondary School,
JSS, 1 student with the Canal Secondary School, Orile, Lagos State,
would have died from the wound she sustained after her father flogged
her with barbed wire, but for the intervention of vigilante members, who
found her writhing in pains in the dead of the night.”
It was learned that Kafayat was rushed to Star Clinic, Ebutte-Metta,
where she is receiving treatment from the wound she sustained all over
her body.
Narrating how she incurred the wrath of her father, the girl said: “I live with my parents at 4, Kuforiji Street Orile, Lagos.
“My father accused my mother of using his hard-earned money to play
lotto game and he descended on her with anything he could lay his hands
on. My father alleged that my mother loves patronising lotto game and he
beat her up mercilessly and broke her knees.
“Despite my mother’s cry for help, none of our neighbours came to her
rescue because they are afraid of my father. When I could not bear the
beating anymore, I begged my father to stop. He became furious and
pounced on me, using a barbed wire to flog me.
“This is not the first time my father will beat my mother and I. I
have lost count of his endless beatings. On one occasion, I begged my
mother to relocate four of us, her children, to Ilorin so we can stay
away from our father due to his constant beating.
‘My mum said he’ll change’
“I am the first child. My mother said my father will change, but he
gets worse by the day. My mother is currently on admission at the
Charity Hospital, Orile, following the beating my father gave her.
“I could not stand his beating anymore and I ran away from home to
meet one of my mother’s friends at Oyingbo market, but I did not meet
her when I got there.
“I was in great pains and I decided to sleep in the market because I
do not want to go back to my father’s house. It was while I was sleeping
at the market that some vigilante men came and rescued me. I told them
my plight and they took me to the hospital.”
Police refuse to intervene
Agbodemu Musbau, Secretary of the VGN, said: “At Iponri Police
Station, they said they do not handle such a case. At Area C Police
Command, Surulere, they told me to take her to the office of the Public
Defender.
“I have been running around with this girl to get the necessary
authorities to look into this matter and arrest the father, but they
have refused to take up the case.”
