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For Losing N500, Woman Burns 13-Year-Old Housemaid’s Stomach, Lap with Iron
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A 13-year-old housemaid, Monsurat, is battling burns her boss, one Mrs Mariam Hafia, allegedly inflicted on her stomach and lap with a hot electric iron.
Monsurat lived with Hafia and her husband on Ola Akinpelu Street, Alimosho area of Lagos and was said to have been hired out to the couple by her parents based in Oyo State.
City Round learnt that Hafia had given Monsurat, a Primary 2 pupil, N1, 500 to keep on September 29, but the girl presented N1, 000 the following day when told to bring the money.
Hafia, a nursing mother, reportedly accused Monsurat of spending the money and used a sharp object to cut her body. Not done, she allegedly plugged an iron and pressed it on the girl’s stomach.
Our correspondent gathered that the woman left Monsurat groaning with pains, and refused to treat the injuries she sustained.
A Good Samaritan in the neighbourhood who heard of the incident was said to have alerted a human rights group, Esther Child Rights Foundation, which reported the case at the Mosalasi Police Station.
A social worker at the foundation, Mrs Chinyere Tony, who rescued Monsurat, said the girl told her that she used the N500 to buy a book in the school.
Tony stated, “Someone called our office to report the case on October 8 and we went for the rescue the next day. We found out that the woman used a razor blade on her as a punishment for using her N500 to buy a book. The girl said she was the only who had not bought the book in her class.
“The woman also used a hot iron to burn her abdomen and lap. But she claimed she was ironing clothes when the girl fell on the iron.”
It was learnt that the police arrested the woman, but later released her on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer and the girl handed over to her.
Shocked by the DPO’s decision, the foundation reported the case at the neighbouring Isokoko Police Station whose DPO also reportedly failed to effect Hafia’s arrest.
The Coordinator of the foundation, Mrs Esther Ogwu, said a petition was written to the Office of the Public Defender, Lagos State Ministry of Justice and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
She said, “According to the victim, Hafia gave her N1, 500 to keep for her and the next day when she requested the money, it was short by N500. I feel really terrible. It’s sad to believe that cases like this still come up in our society. What hurts the most was how the matter was handled by the police. This case was first reported to Moshalashi Police Station where the culprit was called in for questioning. Before hand, the culprit had already threatened the victim; stating that if she opens up about what really happened, she would be denied her right to go to school.
“The victim was then brought in for her statement alongside the suspect for questioning. The victim, out of fear, said she fell on an iron, which I’d like to believe is not possible. The DPO discharged the case and told us that the evidence is not concrete enough to prosecute the culprit. We took action and wrote a petition to the Office of the Public Defender and NAPTIP.”
The case was further reported at the Anti-Human Trafficking unit, Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Alagbon, and Hafia was arrested.
The head of the unit, ACP Mary Ajunwa, said investigation had commenced on the case and the woman rearrested.
She said, “They took the child to her village in Oyo State; they didn’t want the authorities to see the degree of the injury. My office ordered that the child must be brought back to Lagos and that has been done. We are trying to get exactly what happened. The suspect has been rearrested and she is in custody. We have seen the degree of the injury and we want to ascertain why it is so. The woman is claiming that she fell on the iron. But mere looking at the injury, we don’t think it is a case of the girl falling on the iron. We believe there is more to it which the woman has not been able to tell us.”
The OPD Director, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, said the agency took up the matter immediately it received a petition from the human rights organisation, but was disappointed over how the police divisions handled the case.
She said, “I have never seen that kind of abuse before and the woman is claiming that he child fell on an iron. How would a child fall on an iron and the injury would be that much? If she actually fell on an iron, it would be the edge of the iron that would burn her.
“The girl has deep cuts and the burns are in two places. It is sad. We found out that the two police divisions where the case was initially reported compromised. They said the injury was an accident and they even released the child to the suspect.”
Adeyemi explained that the state government would continue to monitor the matter to ensure that justice prevailed, adding that Monsurat would be taken into protective custody.
She added, “We learnt that the girl was hired out as a home help. Her parents were also hiding because NAPTIP has learnt about the case. Eventually, they brought the girl to Lagos.
“What we plan to do now is to take the child away from them and put her in a protective shelter and get medical attention for her while the police continue the prosecution. We don’t want the girl to live outside Lagos State jurisdiction because the offence was committed in Lagos.”
The Punch
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has announced a N500m Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund for verified victims and families affected by pre-election violence in the state.
Adeleke also disclosed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide full scholarships up to university level for the children and dependants of those who lost their lives in the violence.
The governor made the announcement on Wednesday in a statement issued after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission following his re-election.
He said the fund would support verified victims and affected families, while a Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, would oversee the identification of victims and distribution of the support.
“This is not a political intervention. It is a humanitarian responsibility. No eligible victim will be excluded because of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status. In grief, there is no political party. In our common humanity, we are one people,” he said.
The governor also named some of those killed in the violence, including Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera.
“We remember Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass, Kolade Eluyera, and every other victim of electoral violence. Regardless of political affiliation, they were first our brothers, sisters and fellow citizens. To their families, your pain is our pain, and your loved ones will never be reduced to mere statistics,” Adeleke said.
He said the decision to establish the fund followed the loss of lives, injuries, destruction of property and livelihoods recorded during the electoral process.
“It is deeply painful that any family should have to bury a loved one because of politics. No election, political office or ambition is worth the life of a single citizen,” he said.
Adeleke also called for unity in the state following the governorship election, assuring residents who voted for other candidates that he remained governor of the entire state.
“The election is over. The campaign is over. The contest is over. Now is the time to govern, unite, heal and build,” he said.
He added, “To those who voted for me, I thank you. To those who voted for another candidate, I thank you for participating in our democracy. I remain Governor to all, and together we must place Osun State above politics.”
The governor said his administration would continue to focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and economic development, while strengthening accountability, inclusion and transparency.
Adeleke, who described his renewed mandate as a fresh responsibility to serve the people, said, “You have given me another opportunity to serve, and I accept this responsibility with humility. I will work harder. I will listen more. I will do more.”
He added, “Today, we are grateful for victory, but sober in remembrance. Tomorrow, we return to work.”
Adeleke was declared winner of the governorship election after polling 511,067 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 409,849 votes.
The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
The Punch
The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UniZik), Awka, Anambra State, has ordered an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation after a viral video showing students assaulting a lecturer over an alleged sexual misconduct sparked outrage online.
The incident that occurred on Saturday on the Awka campus.
Footage that circulated widely on social media on Saturday captured some UniZik students physically assaulting and rough-handling a lecturer from the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts.
According to witnesses and the circulating videos, the lecturer was allegedly caught attempting to molest a female student within the university premises before students intervened.
The clips have drawn widespread condemnation and calls for a thorough probe, with many Nigerians debating both the allegation and the students’ resort to violence.
The lecturer’s identity has not yet been officially released by the university.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, said the institution is “deeply saddened” by the development.
The management strongly condemned jungle justice and self-help while also taking the sexual misconduct allegation seriously.
“The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has received reports of the alleged physical assault and attack on a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts, following an allegation of attempted sexual misconduct involving a female student of the University,” the statement read.
Attah confirmed that authorities have directed an immediate investigation to “establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.”
UniZik says the investigation will cover two tracks:
1. The sexual misconduct allegation — to determine if the lecturer attempted to molest the female student.
2. The assault on the lecturer — to identify students involved in the physical attack and address breaches of campus discipline.
“The university remains committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline, academic integrity and the safety and dignity of all members of the university community,” Attah added.
Sexual harassment allegations in Nigerian universities have repeatedly sparked protests and policy reviews. UniZik itself has faced pressure in recent years to strengthen its anti-sexual harassment framework.
At the same time, university authorities are under pressure to curb vigilante actions on campus, warning that mob justice undermines due process and endangers lives.
For now, the lecturer has been taken off active duty pending the outcome of the probe, according to campus sources.
UniZik said further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses and urged students and staff to remain calm and allow due process.
The 2026 World Conference of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach will be held next week at Zion City, the permanent site of the ministry at Mgbichi, Ngor Okpala, Imo State.
A press statement released by Zion Ministry in Lagos on Friday disclosed that the three-day crusade will begin on Friday, August 21, and end on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The World Conference is the largest annual gathering organized by Zion Prayer Movement Outreach and attracts participants from across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and others parts of the world.
It is the Third time the annual conference will be held outside Lagos, and the crusade will mark the end of the 100 Days Fasting and Prayer started in May by the ministry. Like in previous editions, hundreds of thousands of Zionites from across the world are expected to attend this year’ conference.
The Annual 100 Days Fasting and Prayers is one of the ministry’s most significant spiritual programmes during which members engage in a season of prayers, fasting, worship, Biblical reflection, thanksgiving and fellowship. The programme culminates in the closing World Conference drawing worshippers, pilgrims, clergy, volunteers and media representatives.
The Spiritual Director of Zion, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, said that the crusade is expected to record thousands of people giving up their lives to Christ, awesome miracles, instant healings, deliverance from bondage, salvation of souls and verifiable testimonies.
