by Rachel Ogbu

A mother narrowly escaped “jungle justice” from an angry mob in her community after she inflicted vicious wounds with a blade on her nine-year-old daughter.

Angry residents of Ono-Odan Street, Ijanikin, Lagos, were upset with Kudirat Abiola, for cutting Precious on her back, left leg and right arm with the blade to “teach her a lesson” because she spent N100 given to her by her father on junk food. Abiola was said to have gone into hiding when she heard about the planned lynching.

A resident, told reporters on Tuesday that: “We wanted to take her to the police, but Precious pleaded for her.”

According to reports, Precious had on Monday shown her wounds to a friend, Mosaki Rachel, at Marvellous Nursery and Primary School, Sele, Ijanikin.

“Precious told me that her father gave her N100 on Sunday and she spent it. But she did not know that her mother had cooked rice at home. When Precious’s mother found out, she beat her first, then used blade to cut her body. When I saw the wounds, I took her to my uncle, Fasai, who has hydrogen peroxide, for treatment,” Mosaki said.

Precious however, reportedly defended her mother saying she was just training her.

“I like my mummy, and she likes me too. She is just training me. My father saw the wounds on Monday and got angry. I told him not to fight with my mummy. My father said he would take me to hospital for treatment. But since then I have not seen him,” she said.

The Punch reports:

Precious’ father, Dayo, is a customs officer.

A resident, Fasai Sunmonu, said Precious’ father was not always at home because of the nature of his work.

Kudirat’s friend, Ramat Sunmonu, a teacher, said Kudirat believed in corporal punishment.

She said, “She often beats her children including the younger one, Daniel, who is four years old. We were closer before, but because of her aggression towards her children, I don’t often visit her anymore.

“I was informed of the incident while coming back from church yesterday (Monday) evening. I ran to her house and when I saw the wounds, I was perplexed.

“I was told that she had run away from home since Monday morning because she was scared that her mother would do more harm. Precious came home at 9pm.”

Segun Abogun, who resides in a room next to the Abiolas, said, “We have learnt to stay out of her (Kudirat) way.”

Kudirat, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, however, said she inflicted the injury on her daughter because she was fond of coming home late.

She said, “I cut her because she often comes home late at about 11 pm. She doesn’t stay at home and she is naughty.

“I did not punish her because of N100, but because of her bad behaviour. I want her to show the mark to her grand children to tell them that disobedience does not pay.”