By Ngozi Nwoke
Residents of Egbeda/Idimu woke up on January 13 to witness a heart-breaking incident of how a couple tortured their biological children mercilessly. The two children, aged three and six, had their bodies lascerated through flogging with various objects.
The suspects, Busola Oyediran and her partner, Akebiara Emmanuel, were arrested as confirmed by the state police public relations officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, after neighbours saw them subjecting the minors to torture, resulting in injuries all over their bodies.
The concerned neighbours were forced to alert the police when the beatings became worse. When confronted by the neighbours, the mother of the minors claimed the children fell from a motorcycle and suffered serious injuries.
Another agonizing case of child brutality was that of a 10-year-old girl, Precious Korshima, who was allegedly beaten to death by her guardian, Mrs. Ujunwa Ugwoke, in November 2022.
Father of the late minor, Jerry Achirkpi, narrated how his daughter died after he handed her over to Ujunwa through a Port Harcourt-based woman. According to him, Ujunwa offered to train his daughter in school, while the minor in return would babysit her newborn baby.
Jerry said he received a strange call from an unknown person who used Ujunwa’s phone number to inform him that his daughter had been kidnapped alongside Ujunwa on November 10, 2022. While the abductors demanded N20 million ransom as condition to release them, Ujunwa said she was suddenly released without ransom and Precious was alleged to have been murdered by the kidnappers.
It was upon police arrest and interrogation that she confessed to have beaten Precious to death and dumped her body in a bush near her community in Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State.
The case of the late Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje, a 13-year-old girl, was pathetic. She was allegedly turned into a sex object by a man and his son in Makurdi, Benue State. She had battled vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and other health complications at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, after being severely and serially abused. And the girl died.
In a similar sad case, one Mrs. Zazi David was arrested by the Abia State police command for allegedly pouring hot water mixed with pepper on her 10-year-old maid, Ifunanya. It was said that the suspect also forced the girl to drink the hot, peppery mixture because she broke a plate.
According to a witness, the suspect had abused the girl on several occasions, leaving her with visible cane and burn marks on her body. She was eventually exposed after the last incident, which left the young girl with burns on her lips, shoulders and back.
Afraid that the girl may die or develop an infection, Mrs. David took her to a nearby chemist who advised her to take the girl to a hospital. When she refused, the chemist raised the alarm, exposing her, which eventually led to her arrest.
In Nigeria, child brutality is common and this leaves many wondering if the offenders are usually punished by law enforcement agencies.
Explaining the psychological causes of child brutality, Abuja-based counsellor and child advocate, Prosper Okafor, president, Crusade for Greater Nigeria on Poverty Eradication and Social Matters (CFGN), said: “When it comes to child brutality, there are some factors that contribute to the dastardly act. And one of them is religion. Karl Max, the philosopher, said that religion is the opium of the masses.
“Religion has swayed so many people off the line. We have witnessed cases where a father calls his own biological child a witch or wizard, thereby attributing his failure and frustrations to the child. These things have to do with religion. You see a fake prophet prophesying to a mother that her own child is bewitching her and the mother would whole-heartedly believe the fake prophet.
“That is what region can cause. Another factor is parents who are not prepared to have children. I refer to them as parents of circumstances.
“So, a lot of orientation is needed in churches, mosques, social events and all functions to enlighten parents and intending parents on proper parenting. Some parents have destroyed their children with bad parenting.
“Parents need orientations on how to raise a child. Most parents are also disoriented, such parents need counselling and therapy. There is an act by the National Assembly that protects against child brutality. It is the Child Rights Act.
“But the challenge is if it is strictly adhered to. That is the concern. The police are also culpable in this case. You see cases where offenders of child brutality are not charged to court. There are cases that have been swept under the carpet by the police because the offenders are influential or wealthy and can pay their way off.
“If the law enforcement agencies are actually doing their jobs by adhering strictly to the Child Rights Act, we won’t be having recurrent cases of children being beaten to death or to a pulp. That is why child brutality is on the increase.”
Renowned therapist, Dr. James Raphael, noted: “It is disheartening to see parents and guardians batter their children and wards all in the name of giving them proper upbringing. Parents who torture children can be best described as wicked, heartless and demon-possessed.
“I have children and I always find a way to handle them without inflicting pain on them when they go wrong. In my home, no one dares to use abusive words as a child or an adult, not to talk of physical abuse.
“We understand that children must be children, but there are better ways to handle them. I always recommend pep talking with children as a way to allow the children to express themselves. It is the same for teachers in schools.
“The dangers of regularly hitting a child are that the child grows up with his/her self-esteem shattered. You kill the child’s morale and confidence. You inflict fear in the child.
“The child becomes a victim of bullying. The child cannot stand up for him or herself because he has been raised to accept beating as a normal thing. You destroy the child not only physically but psychologically, emotionally and mentally. People who are bullies today were once bullied when they were little. So, as a parent, teacher or guardian, you end up destroying that child when you continuously beat a child.”