Lagos Police Arrests Anglican Priest And Wife for Child Abuse
Folake Sokoya
Lagos State Police Command have arrested one Rev and Mrs Adeleke Adebanjo of Anglican Church,Oko Oba area of Lagos State for assaulting and inflicting various degrees of injuries on a nine years old girl( names withheld) who was employed as their domestic staff.
A neighbor who decided to say something after seeing the way the Rev and his wife were maltreating the minor, put a call through to the Stop The Abuse Foundation on January 6,2020 to inform them of how the minor is being abused as the couple’s house maid in the last two years that she has been living with them. .
The neighbor who spoke on the condition of anonymity sited an instance where one of the Adebanjo’s dogs bit the victim on her breast.
“There was a time one of there dogs bit the girl, the couple who claimed to be Priest in the Anglican church refused to take the maid to the hospital for treatment. This inhumane treatment being melted out on daily basis to the minor became unbearable hence Reverend Adeleke Adebanjo and his wife needed to be reported at the appropriate quarters” she said.
Based on the information and evidences gathered by Barr. Toyin Taiwo-Ojo of Stop The Abuse Foundation, the matter was immediately reported at the police station and the abusers were promptly arrested for child abuse.
Barr. Taiwo – Ojo stated further that injuries all over the nine years old maid’s body is enough evidence of how she has been living in hell since she started living with the priest two years ago.
“There were scars all over her body from several previous beatings. The recent scars on her hand was occasioned by the Adebanjo’s 90/years old grandmother who allegedly used hot electric iron to iron the girl’s hand as punishment. It is also heartbreaking and disheartening that test results from Mirabel Medical Centre report shows that the poor girl has also been abused sexually both vaginally and anally” Barr. Taiwo – Ojo explained.
The victim narrated that she became the couple’s maid with the help of her mother.
“I am the last child of my parents. I was brought here two years ago by my parents friend with the promise that I will be enrolled in school but unfortunately the woman never show up again to check on me. They did not enroll me in school as they promised, I can’ t go out or go to church with them. I am always at home to do the house chores and if i mistakenly do anything in error, I receive the beating of my life. That is why I have several scars on my body as you can see.
“My daily chores includes changing the diaper and cleaning of grandma. I feed and take care of the two dogs in the house” The girl narrated sadly.
In their confessional statements made at gender unit Ikeja,state command, 67 years old couples Rev. and Mrs. Adeleke Adebanjo claimed that they were disciplining the minor through because she was too playful.
The convener of Stop The Abuse Foundation Barr .Toyin Ndidi Taiwo- Oko Commended the quick response from the State Commissioner Of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, the Gender Unit, Ikeja, Mrs Sanusi Shade, Ministry of Youth and Social development, Advocacy For Children And Vulnerable Persons Group and the Stop the Abuse Foundation teams.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, DSP Elkana Bala confirmed the arrest of the priest. “Investigation is ongoing, the suspects will be charged to Court as soon as the investigation is concluded” He stated.