Hell was let loose in Egbeda area of Lagos on Tuesday when a nursing mother, simply identified as Iya Keji, assaulted her husband’s niece, Bose with knife and blade over an alleged N20 theft.
The incident, which has now made the victim’s residence, House 10, Tayo Kehinde Street off Kareem Laka Street, Egbeda, a Mecca of sort, with people thronging to catch a glimpse of the poor girl, followed Bose’s alleged theft of N20 belonging to her aunt, Iya Keji, on Monday night.
According to sources, Iya Keji, who is now at large over the crime, had woken up since 5am and begun beating the girl.
A neighbour, Opeoluwa Kazeem, who spoke with our correspondent on the matter, said that the serious injuries sustained by the young girl from the blade and knife the woman used to ‘discipline’ her, made neighbours to report the case at Afoka Police station in Egbeda.
“Iya Keji is not a human being. I cannot imagine that it is just because of the N20 the girl stole that made her to almost kill her. The woman had been beating this girl for hours in their room, and people were wondering what was happening, not until this morning when the girl came out and exposed her,” Kazeem said.
Another resident on Tayo Kehinde Street, Tosin Babalola, told our correspondent that Iya Keji had also made an attempt to escape with the young girl when she realised the gravity of the crime she had committed.
Babalola said, “She took the girl and lied to her neighbours that she was going to a clinic with her. But neighbours forcefully took the girl from her before she absconded.”
It was also gathered that the suspect had, for some time, denied Bose education as she was withdrawn from school and made to hawk shoes.
Meanwhile, police operatives from Afoka police division are currently on the trail of the suspect who is currently at large.
The Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole confirmed the incident.
He said that police had begun investigation into the case. “Our men are currently investigating the case and the victim is in the hospital receiving treatment.”
