Woman in police net for torturing 10-year-old boy, locking him up in a dog kennel

Chioma Joseph

A 24-year-old woman, Onyinye Mbadike, has been arrested by the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, for assaulting a 10-year-old boy, Chibike Eziamaka.

Mbadike , a cousin to the survivor, had allegedly tortured the him, and locked him up in a dog’s kennel, where he shared space with dogs at No 7 Trimnell Street, Aguda.

A concerned neighbour who claimed to have noticed the several abuse the boy, an orphan had suffered in the hands of the suspect, had secretly recorded the act in video.

The video was shared online, calling for justice. The video attracted the attention of well meaning Nigerians who swiftly called on the Lagos State Police Command to investigate the case of child abuse.

The Domestic and Sexual Response Team (DSVRT), Alausa Ikeja had also added its voice to the call for investigation with a petition addressed to the Lagos Commissioner of Police.

The Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu, who was briefed on the matter, had ordered the Gender Unit of the command to identify the woman in the video, rescue the child and make the suspect face the full weight of the law.

The directive paid off as the Gender Unit traced Mbadike to Chumpe Liquor Store, Surulere and arrested her. The boy was also rescued and taken to a secured shelter.

The state Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Elkana Bala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the suspect was arrested on Wednesday.

Giving details, Bala said, “ On August 14, 2019, a team of detectives from the Gender Unit, Command’s Headquarters Ikeja, arrested Onyinye Mbadike of No 7 Trimnell Street, Aguda for assault and child abuse.

This followed a viral video on the social media showing the suspect torturing 10-year-old Chibike Eziamaka of same address. The video also showed the suspect locking the boy up in a dog’s kennel, sharing space with dogs.

“ The video was widely condemned by well meaning Nigerians. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu ordered the Gender Unit of the command to identify the woman in the video, rescue the child and make the suspect face the full weight of the law.

“ The Gender Unit traced the suspect to Chumpe Liquor Store, Surulere and her residence at Aguda. The boy was rescued and taken to a secured shelter.

The suspect admitted that she is the one on the viral video flogging the child with belt, but she denied locking the survivor in a cage with dogs.

“ That she only locked him in an empty dog kennel where bags are kept. She claimed to have locked up the boy for few hours before bringing him out.

She alleged that the Boy took a hot drink in their refrigerator and was misbehaving. That the suspect smashed the side mirror of her Toyota Camry with stone which made her detain him in the dog kennel.

“ Investigation revealed that the survivor lost his parents and was brought to Lagos in 2012 from Anambra State by the mother of the suspect along with his two siblings.

The suspect and the survivor are cousins. The suspect’s mother is the elder sister of the survivor’s father. ”

The PPRO said the suspect will be charged to court, as he reiterated that the command is committed towards protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable members of the society from all forms of violence and abuses.