Child Abuse: Osun NSCDC Arrests Aunt For Abusing Niece

The Osun State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested Elizabeth Aderibigbe for child abuse.

According to information made available by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Danie Adigun, she was arrested for assaulting her niece, 14-year-old Precious Adesewa Oladipupo on the ground that she has been stealing from her.

Adesewa Precious is an SSS2 student of an unnamed secondary school located around the Kunfayakun area of Osogbo.

Adigun also revealed that the victim, Adesewa was picked up from a prayer mountain and brought to the NSCDC office on Saturday, December 18, 2021, after she ran away from home on Thursday, December 16 after eating leftover food she found in the kitchen.

In her confession, Aderibigbe who is her legal guardian in Oso Igbo stated that Adesewa who is her niece has been staying with her since 2018 when she took her from her father who is her brother.

In her words, "The father of Adesewa separated from her mother years back and the union is blessed with two children, Adesewa and her elder brother who still stays with their father."

She revealed that her niece was found stealing from her and indulging in deviant behaviours and when she refused to make corrections, she resorted to beating her which made her run away.

While charging parents to be watchful of their wards, the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Ocheja Emmanuel also called on the public to report any issue of child abuse to the appropriate security agencies.

Ocheja also revealed that a broken home does not help children's upbringing.

Head of Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Command, Onifade Clement, advised parents against giving their wards to relatives or strangers.

Meanwhile, the victim has been handed over to her father's elder brother, Oladipupo Olajide, when she declined to be in the custody of the Osun State Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.