Police Arrest Woman For Locking Boy, 10, Inside Dog Kennel

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Police operatives in Lagos have arrested a 24-year old woman, Onyinye Mbadike, who appeared on a viral video detaining a boy in a dog kennel in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident took place at No. 7 Trimnell Street in Aguda, Surulere area of Lagos, where they reside.

This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana. He said that on 14th August, 2019, a team of detectives from the Gender Unit, Command Headquarters Ikeja, arrested one Onyinye Mbadike (f) 24, of No. 7 Trimnell Street, Aguda, for assault and child abuse. This followed a viral video, which trended on the social media showing the suspect torturing one Chibike Eziamaka, 10, of same address.

DSP Elkana stated that the video also showed that the suspect, Onyinye, locked up the boy up in a dog kennel; sharing space with dogs. The video was widely condemned by well meaning Nigerians.
Hence the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu, ordered the Gender Unit of the Command to identify the woman in the video, rescue the child and make the suspect face the full weight of the law.
Elkana explained that the Domestic and Sexual Response Team (DSVRT), Alausa, Ikeja, also added its voice to the call for investigation with a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police to that effect. The Gender Unit traced the suspect to Chumpe Liquor Store, Surulere and her residence at Aguda.
The 10-year old boy was rescued and taken to a secured shelter. The suspect admitted that she was the one in the viral video flogging the child with belt but she denied locking the survivor in a cage with dogs. She claimed that she only locked him in an empty dog kennel, where bags are kept. She also claimed to have locked up the boy for few hours before bringing him out. The suspect alleged that the boy took a hot drink in their refrigerator and was misbehaving; that the suspect smashed the side mirror of her Toyota Camry with a stone, which made her to detain him in the dog kennel.

Investigation revealed that the survivor lost his parents and was brought to Lagos in 2012 from Anambra State by the mother of the suspect along with his two siblings. The suspect and the survivor are cousins. The suspect’s mother is the elder sister of the survivor’s father.
Elkana said that the suspect, Onyinye, will be charged to Court and reiterated the Command’s commitment towards protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable members of the society from all forms of violence and abuses.