by Rachel Ogbu

One Yemi Afolayan working for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kwara State Command was arrested yesterday for using hot iron on a 12-year-old girl, Favour Emmanuel.

The injuries were to her neck and foot and Afolayan, who is her guardian was said to have tied her up and beaten her first because she delayed in cooking his food.

“He asked me to prepare rice. While I was preparing it, he became angry that it had taken a long time for me to finish cooking the rice. He grabbed me, tied me up and used the hot iron to inflict injuries on my body.  It was really a very tormenting experience,” Emmanuel said.

According to reports, Afolayan’s arrest was sequel to a report to the state Ministry of Women Affairs by some concerned neighbours. The Director of Child Development, Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs, Lucy Adeniyi, said Favour sustained serious injuries on her neck and foot and had been treated at the state Civil Service Hospital, Ilorin.

But Afolayan has denied causing those injuries claiming she must have sustained them while running away from him because he was scolding her.

“The girl was only being naughty.  I am a father myself and I would not do that to any child. I wanted to scold her. Maybe when she was running out, she sustained the injuries but I didn’t burn her with a iron,” he said.

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The Punch reports:

Our correspondent also learnt that Emmanuel was currently at the Children Reception Centre, Gaa Akanbi, Ilorin

But the state police command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, said the police would ensure that the suspect was brought to justice.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Comfort Afolayan, urged parents and guardians to treat their children and wards with love.

She said, “The child is in our custody. We are taking care of her and we will take her back to her family. The act is very horrible.  Such a treatment is not acceptable. This ministry will not relent on protecting the rights of children.”