Sola (not real name), had no inkling
anything was wrong with her only child, six-year-old Mariam, when she
was brought home on holiday during the Yuletide.
anything was wrong with her only child, six-year-old Mariam, when she
was brought home on holiday during the Yuletide.
The little girl, a Basic One pupil of
Medinat Al Munawarat Islamic Nursery and Primary School, a boarding
school at Iju, along Sango-Idiroko Road, Ogun State, told her mother
nothing.
Medinat Al Munawarat Islamic Nursery and Primary School, a boarding
school at Iju, along Sango-Idiroko Road, Ogun State, told her mother
nothing.
Unfortunately for the girl’s mother, who
is a widow, she was none the wiser about the abuse her daughter had
been suffering in the school.
is a widow, she was none the wiser about the abuse her daughter had
been suffering in the school.
Our correspondent later learnt when he
spoke with the girl, that her alleged abuser, Sirotullahi Abdufatahi,
had warned her never to tell anybody, in fact threatening her that she
was going to die if she told her mother.
spoke with the girl, that her alleged abuser, Sirotullahi Abdufatahi,
had warned her never to tell anybody, in fact threatening her that she
was going to die if she told her mother.
Abdufatahi, 21, is the son of the school proprietress, Mrs. Modinat Ashafa.
But the week Mariam was supposed to
resume school for the year, she was at her big aunty’s house when she
decided to share with her cousin, a girl about her age, her “school
stories”.
resume school for the year, she was at her big aunty’s house when she
decided to share with her cousin, a girl about her age, her “school
stories”.
In the story, she told her little cousin
how Uncle Sirotulahi would come to their room on some nights, pulled
her out of the bed she shared with other girls who are boarders in the
school and told her to pull down her pant.
how Uncle Sirotulahi would come to their room on some nights, pulled
her out of the bed she shared with other girls who are boarders in the
school and told her to pull down her pant.
When our correspondent interviewed
Mariam in the presence of her mother, it became clear that she knew
exactly what she was saying.
Mariam in the presence of her mother, it became clear that she knew
exactly what she was saying.
Wearing a long hijab, and speaking
English smartly, the child played on her mother’s couch, scampering from
one point to another innocently, until her mother asked her to keep
still. There was no doubt that Mariam was a happy child.
English smartly, the child played on her mother’s couch, scampering from
one point to another innocently, until her mother asked her to keep
still. There was no doubt that Mariam was a happy child.
But if what the girl has been saying
about what happened to her at school is anything to go by, she has
become another victim in the increasing incidents of child sexual abuse
in Nigeria, one which her mother fears may scar her for life.
about what happened to her at school is anything to go by, she has
become another victim in the increasing incidents of child sexual abuse
in Nigeria, one which her mother fears may scar her for life.
When our correspondent asked about what
her “uncle” did to her, she asked, “Do you mean Uncle Sirotullahi that
usually came to remove my pant in our room?” When she got a nod in
reply, the little girl started talking.
her “uncle” did to her, she asked, “Do you mean Uncle Sirotullahi that
usually came to remove my pant in our room?” When she got a nod in
reply, the little girl started talking.
“Uncle Sirotullahi usually came to our
room where we sleep. When they switch off the light, he would come and
pull me from the bed. Then, he would pull down my pant and also remove
his own trousers. He always bring out his thing and put it in my ‘bum’
here (pointing to her crotch). Sometime, he would come into the room and
take another girl,” she said.
room where we sleep. When they switch off the light, he would come and
pull me from the bed. Then, he would pull down my pant and also remove
his own trousers. He always bring out his thing and put it in my ‘bum’
here (pointing to her crotch). Sometime, he would come into the room and
take another girl,” she said.
As she narrated this, she looked up with concern at her young mother who quietly sobbed.
Asked how many times this happened, Mariam counted her fingers as if to remember and said seven times.
Sola said she decided to put her
daughter in the boarding school because it was run by people in her
religion, and she believed she could get the right education and care as
she worked to cater for her.
daughter in the boarding school because it was run by people in her
religion, and she believed she could get the right education and care as
she worked to cater for her.
But that hope was dashed the day she learnt of her daughter’s alleged abuse.
“I did not imagine something like this could ever happen to my daughter in that school,” she said.
According to Sola, she had known the
school proprietress and mother of the suspect (Ashafa) since she was
younger and she was a student of the woman at a point.
school proprietress and mother of the suspect (Ashafa) since she was
younger and she was a student of the woman at a point.
She said she neither noticed anything
was wrong with her daughter when she bathed her and neither did the girl
complain about any discomfort.
was wrong with her daughter when she bathed her and neither did the girl
complain about any discomfort.
Sola said, “I realised the last abuse
might have taken place long before their holiday, maybe that was why I
did not notice any physical discomfort at the time she came home.
might have taken place long before their holiday, maybe that was why I
did not notice any physical discomfort at the time she came home.
“Immediately my aunty told me what my
daughter told her own daughter, I examined my daughter and was shocked
by what I saw. It was obvious the hole I saw there did not come there
during one encounter.
daughter told her own daughter, I examined my daughter and was shocked
by what I saw. It was obvious the hole I saw there did not come there
during one encounter.
“I rushed to the school and confronted
the proprietress. Rather than invite his son to ask him questions, she
picked up her phone, called and asked him if it was true he was raping
the girls he taught. Of course, he denied it.
the proprietress. Rather than invite his son to ask him questions, she
picked up her phone, called and asked him if it was true he was raping
the girls he taught. Of course, he denied it.
“I then took my daughter to a hospital
where some doctors examined her and confirmed what I already knew. She
was only examined, they did not test her for diseases. The doctors said
she had indeed been defiled.”
where some doctors examined her and confirmed what I already knew. She
was only examined, they did not test her for diseases. The doctors said
she had indeed been defiled.”
The suspect is currently in Sokoto State, Saturday PUNCH learnt.
Our correspondent contacted Ashafa
(suspect’s mother) and she categorically begged for the case not to be
reported. At a point, she sobbed, asking that she would do whatever was
needed to appeal to the family of the girl.
(suspect’s mother) and she categorically begged for the case not to be
reported. At a point, she sobbed, asking that she would do whatever was
needed to appeal to the family of the girl.
She said, “When I was informed about the
case, I called my son and he denied it. He is currently in Sokoto where
he is schooling. He is not 21, he is just a 15-year-old secondary
school student. I was confused when he denied the accusation because I
did not think my son would lie.
case, I called my son and he denied it. He is currently in Sokoto where
he is schooling. He is not 21, he is just a 15-year-old secondary
school student. I was confused when he denied the accusation because I
did not think my son would lie.
“He was at home for holiday at the time
he allegedly raped the girl. When he came, because we do not have enough
teachers, I told him to help out by teaching the lower classes. I have
been operating this kind of school for over 27 years.
he allegedly raped the girl. When he came, because we do not have enough
teachers, I told him to help out by teaching the lower classes. I have
been operating this kind of school for over 27 years.
“My son swore that he knew nothing about
it. I don’t know what to do. Truly, the mother has told me about her
visit to the hospital and about how much she needs to pay for treatment
and tests on the girl but I have no money. I have been very broke. I
told her that she should be patient with me and that I would find the
money. I can only beg her. If it is about money, I will find money.”
it. I don’t know what to do. Truly, the mother has told me about her
visit to the hospital and about how much she needs to pay for treatment
and tests on the girl but I have no money. I have been very broke. I
told her that she should be patient with me and that I would find the
money. I can only beg her. If it is about money, I will find money.”
However, when Sola reported the case to
the police at the Sango Police Division, an officer who attended to her
said the case was “too complicated” for them to handle and referred the
woman to the Juvenile, Women and Children Unit of the Onipanu Police
Division, along Idiroko Road, where the police again said there was
little they could do since the suspect was not around.
the police at the Sango Police Division, an officer who attended to her
said the case was “too complicated” for them to handle and referred the
woman to the Juvenile, Women and Children Unit of the Onipanu Police
Division, along Idiroko Road, where the police again said there was
little they could do since the suspect was not around.
When Saturday PUNCH contacted
the Commissioner of Education in Ogun State, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, she
said a formal complaint should be lodged at her office and the ministry
would investigate the school.
the Commissioner of Education in Ogun State, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, she
said a formal complaint should be lodged at her office and the ministry
would investigate the school.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State
Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, explained that even though the mother
of the suspect could not be arrested in place of her son, the police
still have to investigate the case. He promised to find out from the
Divisional Police Officer at Onipanu what was being done on the case.
Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, explained that even though the mother
of the suspect could not be arrested in place of her son, the police
still have to investigate the case. He promised to find out from the
Divisional Police Officer at Onipanu what was being done on the case.