Wicked Lagos Trader Cuts Open Her Husband's Cousin's Face with a Blade Over N20 (Photo)

A trader in the Egbeda area of Lagos State has been declared wanted, for allegedly cutting her husband's 12-year-old cousin's face with a blade, in different parts of her body.

The 12-year-old victim

 

The operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have declared a Lagos-based trader identified only as Iya Keji, wanted on Tuesday, for allegedly cutting her ward, Bose, with a blade, in different parts of her body.

 

Angered by the wicked and barbaric act, the mother of one, was attacked by residents on Tayo Kehinde Street, in the Egbeda area of Lagos State, though she later escaped. However, her mother, aunt and daughter were detained by the police pending the arrest of the trader.

 

According to Punch Metro, Iya Keji’s husband travelled abroad five years ago, leaving her with their 6-year-old daughter, Keji, and the 12-year-old victim, Bose who is undergoing treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the area.

 

Bose is reported to be the suspect’s husband’s cousin and had been living with them before the husband travelled out, and around 4am on Tuesday, Iya Keji beat up the victim before inflicting deep cuts in her face and hands.

 

It was gathered that around 8:00am on Tuesday, she reportedly asked her to buy plaster to cover up the injuries. Residents, who saw the extent of the injuries, raised the alarm.

 

While speaking to a correspondent, a woman who did not want to be identified, said the suspect used a sharp object.

 

She said, “I was taking my daughter to school this morning (Tuesday) when I saw the girl. I counted four deep cuts– two on her face, one each on her hands. Her veins were showing and it was like her wrist would cut off.

“When we asked her what happened, she said her guardian saw N20 in her pocket, which she could not account for. She came to buy plaster in a shop on the street when people saw the injuries and accompanied her to the house. We all rebuked the woman for maltreating the child.”

 

A trader told a correspondent that the suspect rebuffed the reprimands and abused the “uninvited visitors.” She claimed that a friend of the suspect later grabbed the victim and put her on a motorcycle, while Iya Keji also joined the man.

“We all tried to trail them, but they escaped. Somebody alerted the police and when they arrived, we started making frantic attempts to locate Iya Keji, her friend and the victim,” the trader said.

 

It was gathethere that some minutes later, the suspect’s friend returned to the house. “We quickly alerted the police and the man was prevented from leaving the house until the police arrived. He took the police to where the child was kept. She was not taken to a hospital. She was held up in a dingy room, where they had applied some powder on the injuries,” another woman added.

 

When a reporter visited the Shasha Police Station, he observed that the suspect had not been arrested by the police. Her six-year-old daughter was sighted shedding tears, while the grandma lamented.

 

She was overheard saying, “I have always warned my daughter against beating that girl. I told her to always report her to me. I promise to produce her as soon as I find her.”

 

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the incident.

 

He said, “One Bose Arogundade, aged 12, was assaulted by her guardian, one Iya Keji, with a razor blade, thereby inflicting injuries in her face and hands. The girl was later rescued from where she was abandoned on Gowon Estate. She has been taken to a hospital for treatment while the suspect is at large.”