Police accused of complicity in assault of Osun teenage girl
A teenage girl in Osogbo, Osun State, is seeking justice after being allegedly assaulted with a hot pressing iron by a local tailor, identified as Iya Abdullahi, at her shop in the Obelawo area.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday after the teenager returned to complain about a poorly sewn dress.
The victim, whose name is being withheld, recounted that she had given a cloth to the tailor for sewing, but upon discovering that the dress was too short to wear, she returned it for adjustment.
“Instead of adjusting the dress, Iya Abdullahi started raining curses on me. I rebuked her, and she started flogging me with a stick. I struggled to take the stick from her. Immediately, she went into her shop, took a hot pressing iron, and used it to press my body in different places,” the teenager explained.
The victim, who sustained severe burns, has been rushed to a private hospital, Olorungbebe Medical Center, for treatment.
A non-governmental organisation, Value Female Network (VFN), has condemned the attack and demanded justice for the 17-year-old survivor.
The Executive Director of VFN, Costly Aderibigbe-Saba, described the incident as a “severe breach of human rights” and raised concerns over alleged attempts to suppress the case by the tailor’s husband, who is a police officer.
In a detailed report submitted to the Ministry of Justice, Aderibigbe-Saba stated, “The tailor’s husband, a police officer, is reportedly using his position to shield his wife from facing justice. This includes bringing officers to arrest and detain the victim’s mother.”
She added, “This case highlights troubling issues of domestic abuse and misuse of police authority. Prompt legal action and an independent investigation are critical to securing justice for the victim and restoring public trust in law enforcement institutions.”
The matter has also been reported to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
When contacted, the accused tailor, Iya Abdullahi, alleged that the teenager had abused her first and stepped on clothes she was selling. She further claimed that both of them sustained injuries while struggling over the hot pressing iron.
As of yesterday, it was reported that police officers from Dugbe Police Station in Osogbo, acting under the alleged influence of the tailor’s husband, had detained the victim’s mother.
