The Lagos State Police Command has
arrested a 24-year-old lady for locking her 10-year-old cousin, Chibike
EziAmaka, in a dog kennel at the Aguda area of Lagos State.
The lady, identified as Onyinye
Mbadike, living at No 7 Trimnell Street, Aguda, was arrested by a team of
detectives from the Gender Unit, command headquarters, Ikeja.
Policemen started hunting for
Mbadike after someone secretly filmed her hitting and kicking EziAmaka, after
which she forcibly pushed him into the dog’s kennel and padlocked it.
Whoever filmed the incident uploaded
it on the internet and it soon went viral, attracting outrage. It also got to
police domain, leading to investigations.
The Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, disclosed that Mbadike was arrested on
Wednesday for assault and child abuse.
Elkana said: “A team of detectives
from the Gender Unit, Command’s Headquarters Ikeja, arrested Onyinye Mbadike (24)
of No 7 Trimnell Street, Aguda for assault and child abuse. This followed a
viral video on the social media showing her torturing Chibike EziAmaka (10) of
same address. The video also showed the lady locking EziAmaka up in a dog’s
kennel, sharing space with dogs. The video was widely condemned by well-meaning
Nigerians.”
Elkana further disclosed that the
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, ordered the Gender Unit of
the Command to identify the woman in the video, rescue the child and make Mbadike
to face the full wrath of the law.
The image maker explained that the Domestic
and Sexual Response Team (DSVRT), Alausa, Ikeja, also added its voice to the
call for investigation with a petition addressed to Muazu to that effect. The
Gender Unit traced Mbadike to Chumpe Liquor Store, Surulere and her residence
at Aguda.
Elkana noted: “The 10 years old boy
was rescued and taken to a secured shelter. Mbadike admitted that she was the
one on the viral video flogging the child with belt. She, however, denied
locking the boy in a cage with dogs. She said that she only locked him in an
empty kennel, where bags were kept. She claimed to have locked
up the boy for a few hours before bringing him out.
“She further alleged that the boy
took alcohol, which was in the refrigerator, drank it and started misbehaving. She
said that the boy smashed the side mirror of her Toyota Camry car with a stone,
which made her to detain him in the dog kennel.”
Elkana stated that investigation has
revealed that the boy lost his parents and was brought to Lagos in 2012 from
Anambra State by Mbadike’s mother, along with his two siblings. Mbadike and t EziAmaka
are cousins.
“The Mbadike’s mother is the elder
sister of the boy’s father. The suspect will be charged to Court. The
Command reiterated its commitment towards protecting the rights of children and
other vulnerable members of the society from all forms of violence and abuses.”
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