An NGO, Aunt Landa Bethel Foundation, has petitioned the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, asking her to intervene in an alleged assault on a three-month old baby, whose mother is Mrs Ngozi Immaculata Malachy.
Also petitioned were the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 2 and Lagos Commissioner of Police, among others, seeking justice in the matter.
The foundation, in a statement, quoted Mrs Malachy as saying, “On the 31st of January, 2024, I dropped my baby at Dabrin School in care of the nanny, one Miss Bose, with the Proprietress, Mrs Ucheagiafor, present and left for work. That was my baby’s first day at Dabrin School and my first day of resuming work from maternity leave.”
The NGO alleged that Mrs Ucheagiafor accused a one-year-old-11-month child of inflicting bodily injuries on Mrs Malachy’s baby.
It further quoted Mrs Malachy thus: “In less than two hours, I received a phone call from Mrs Ucheagiafor, telling me that a child messed up my baby’s face and that I should rush to Greenlife Hospital. I contacted my husband and we met at the hospital.
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“My baby was beyond recognition, with bruises, wounds and blood on his face. I almost fainted. I cried and asked Mrs Ucheagiafor what happened. She told me that a child of one year and 11 months did that to my baby. I told her that a child of that age could not do that and demanded to see the little boy.”
The foundation said that Mrs Malachy found the proprietress’ accusation as untrue, suggesting foul play, and that she and her husband were later invited by the human rights unit of the Ago Police Station and instructed to close the case.
Mrs Malachy further said, “The following day, the human rights at Ago Police Station called us so that we could close the case, but my husband refused because he said his baby was lying sick in the hospital.”
The statement added that Mrs Malachy reported to the Onikan Zone 2 Police Station, stressing that the proprietress refused to provide CCTV footage, the accused boy and the doctor who gave her son injection.
The victim’ father, Mr Ukwuegbu Malachy, said the doctors confirmed animal bites on the child’s face.
He said, “We request that the school be completely shut down to enable the authorities carry out proper investigation to bring to the fore the actual incident that transpired so that other parents will not fall victim to this kind of negligence.”
However, in an interview with City & Crime, the proprietress said, “There is no such thing like that. Any further report, get it from Zone 2. They were the ones that took me there. For them to go to social media, they are up to something, but I am a bit silent about it because I know God will prevail.
“When they brought their baby, the child was not yet one year old. The child was just three months old and I told them I don’t do that age.
“I don’t want to talk, go to Zone 2. You will get your details there. You know everything on social media is not always true, because when I start my own….”
Zone 2’s spokeswoman, SP Umma Tunna Ayuba, who confirmed the incident, said, “We are waiting for doctors to confirm if the injured child will be okay to be taken to court. The case will soon be charged to court.”
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