How Lagos Court Sent Mother, Daughter To Prison Over Alleged Child Labour

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos has remanded 25 year-old lady, Nwobi Oluebube Favour and her mother, Nwobi Ebele Angela, 55, for allegedly using two underage girls as domestic servants. 

Justice Awogboro remanded the duo, after they both pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of harbouring and using two underage girls (name withheld) for domestic works, made against them by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The two women, who lives in B41, Abijoh GRA, Chois Garden Estate, Lekki, Lagos, were alleged to have committed the offences between May and November 2023.

The prosecutor, Uzunwa I. Egonu, a Senior Legal Officers with NAPTIP, while arraigning the two defendants, informed the court that their unlawful and exploitative actions, has exposed the two teenagers physical, social and psychological development.

Apart from allegations of child labour made against the two defendants, NAPTIP also arraigned them on another two counts charge of assaulting two officials of the agency.

The NAPTIP officials allegedly assaulted by the two defendants were: Ederibhalo Ajiegbe Elvis and Trust Oluwaseun Adekoye, while performing their official duties.

The defendants allegedly assaulted the two officials on March 12, at the agency’s office situated at No. 165b, Oba Ladejobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

During assault of the agency’s officials, the two defendants allegedly destroyed their laptop and a iPhone 8.

The prosecutor also told the court that the defendants’ actions contravened sections 23(1)B 23 (2)B and 32(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

Both the daughter and mother pleaded not guilty to the all the counts charge.

Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while also urged the court to remand them till the determination of the charge.

However, their lawyer pleaded to court for a short date, for their bail applications and to be filed.

Consequently, Justice Awogboro while adjourning the matter to May 7, for trial, ordered that both the daughter and mother be remanded at the Kirikiri female section of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending when their bail applications shall be heard and determined.