Man sexually abuses 12-year-old house help

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, has been urged to ensure investigation of the alleged sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl at the Mazamaza area of Lagos State.
The girl, simply identified as Love, was said to have been sexually abused by one Anyanwu, who allegedly forcefully had carnal knowledge of her inside his bedroom, causing severe bruises in her vagina.
The battle for justice for Love has been taken up by the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria, which is urging Manko to investigate and prosecute Anyanwu.
It was gathered that the girl was, until this unfortunate incident, a house maid to Anyanwu’s old mother, who the child simply calls ‘Mama.’
Love was introduced to Anyanwu’s sister, Maurine, a staff of Zenith Bank, Oba Akran branch, Lagos, who took her to her old mother to live with and help her as a maid.
Love has been living with the old woman and the Anyanwu’s family in the three bedroom flat since January 2014.
The child, accompanied by her aunt, Ijeoma Joseph, who resides at Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, informed NOPRIN that Anyanwu’s wife had gone to work and while she was busy washing plates in the house, Anyawu called her to come to his bedroom, supposedly to help him read out a message on his phone.
Love reportedly told NOPRIN: “I went to answer him in the room and suddenly, Uncle grabbed me and removed my pant and raped me.”
According to the girl, her screams attracted Mama’s attention and she called and asked where she was and why she was crying, but Anywawu would not allow the girl to answer. He quickly told his mother not to worry, insisting there was no problem.
Narrating what Love told NOPRIN, the organisation’s National Coordinator, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said: “Love said when Anyawu wanted to rape her the second time, she struggled and managed to escape and ran out of the house. She ran to a nearby Church where she met one woman. She remained in the church and joined them in the all-night vigil that Friday till the next day.
“The following morning, Saturday, she wanted to go home but was afraid. While she was sitting down somewhere by the road side, one ‘Uncle Ugo’, the landlord of the house where she was sexually abused, saw her and took her back home.”
Love said that Anyawu’s sister, whose name she did not know, came to the house and beat her up “for running away from the house”.
The said sister later called Mrs. Joseph, Love’s aunt, and informed her that Love ran away from the house and that she wanted her to come and take her since she was the one that brought her for Maurine.
Mrs. Joseph and Mrs. Maurine, Anyawu’s sister whom she (Mrs. Joseph) originally handed Love to, agreed and Love was returned to her.
Maurine claimed, as her reason for returning Love, that she was “wasting food”.
It was later when Love’s aunt began to question her on her reason for running away from the house that she opened up to her that Anyanwu sexually abused her.
Love’s aunt, upon examining Love, confirmed that her private part had been seriously bruised and was dripping with foul smelling liquid substance.
She immediately took her to Adeniyi Jones Primary Health Centre at 55, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja and upon medical examination, the medical officer confirmed that Love was raped.
The report confirmed “bruises in her vagina” and issued her a referral slip to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital “for expert management”.
Nwanguma said: “NOPRIN requests the CP to order a prompt, impartial and full investigation into this act of sexual abuse with a view to ensuring that the alleged culprit, Anyanwu is prosecuted in court if found culpable.
“We also request that Mrs. Maurine be investigated for her attempt to cover up on the alleged crime of her brother against a child who was handed over to her, by her false claim that she returned the child for ‘wasting food’ instead of taking her to a hospital for treatment for the bruises resulting from the rape.
“Anyanwu’s other sister who beat up the child-victim allegedly for running away from the house should also be investigated. NOPRIN will follow up closely on this case to ensure that justice is done.”