12-year-old gets tortured by trader over missing money

A 12-year-old was allegedly tortured and stripped by her Mrs Oshiaha, her mistress in Somolu, Lagos.

The young girl, named Favour Israel, who hails from Nkporumo Local Government Area of Anambra State, told PUNCHMetro Mrs Oshiaha accused her of stealing money. She claimed she was tortured and kicked out of the house to go in search of the missing money.

Deeper Life Bible Church rescued Favour on the streets and gave her to Lagos state social workers.

According to Punch, Favour is the first born in a family of five. Her parents separated. Unfortunately, her father was involved in an accident which damaged his leg. He couldn't take care of her afterwards.

As a result of this her father could not pay for her school fees. A neighbour of Favour's farther saw their plight and decided to help out by and handing her over to Mrs Oshiaha.

According to Favour from the moment she entered Oshiaha's house, she was abused and maltreated.

“It was when my father had an accident and started using crutches that things became hard for us. I had stopped going to school and a neighbour, who saw how we were suffering, told my father that she knew a woman in Lagos who could help us. She introduced the woman to my father and I was asked to follow her to Lagos.

“She has three children and I took care of them. But since I arrived in Lagos in November 2016, she has been maltreating me. I fetched water, sweep the house, wash plates and run errands. Sometimes, I don’t eat for a long time.

“She put me in a school when I came to Lagos. But she sometimes stopped me from going even after finishing my chores because she would say I had to do another thing. I did not go to school sometimes for more than a week.

“On Thursday night, she came back from the market and said her money was missing. I told her that I didn’t know what happened to the money. She sent her first daughter to go to buy a cane. She told me to lie down on the ground and removed my clothes. She flogged me despite my insistence that I didn’t steal her money. She chased me out and told me not to return until I find the money. I went outside and slept outside the gate,” Favour said.

When contacted by Punch, a social worker said there was evidence of multiple flogging marks on Favour's body, stating that she was sent out of the house over 200 Naira.