17-year-old Roda Timothy, was full of expectations when she
left her home state in Plateau for Lagos, last year.
left her home state in Plateau for Lagos, last year.
She had hoped to secure employment, earn a decent living and
be in a position to help her family back home.
be in a position to help her family back home.
However, her lofty dreams were shattered barely few days
after she was employed as a maid. She was allegedly raped and impregnated by
her Lebanese boss who later kicked her out of his house when all his efforts to
abort the pregnancy failed.
after she was employed as a maid. She was allegedly raped and impregnated by
her Lebanese boss who later kicked her out of his house when all his efforts to
abort the pregnancy failed.
Her boss popularly called Hussein, works as a professional
chef for highbrow companies in Lagos and resides on Allen Avenue, Ikeja agreed
to pay Roda N10,000 monthly.
chef for highbrow companies in Lagos and resides on Allen Avenue, Ikeja agreed
to pay Roda N10,000 monthly.
Two months after impregnating her, Hussein sacked her after
paying her a paltry sum of N19,000 for the two months she worked for him.
paying her a paltry sum of N19,000 for the two months she worked for him.
Roda who pleaded passionately that her photograph should not
be taken then narrated how it all happened:
be taken then narrated how it all happened:
“I started working with the man as a maid immediately I came
to Lagos. He agreed to pay me N10,000 monthly as my salary. When I packed into
the house, my boss was not around but he came back two days later from his work
place.
to Lagos. He agreed to pay me N10,000 monthly as my salary. When I packed into
the house, my boss was not around but he came back two days later from his work
place.
How I was raped…
“On this particular day, my boss was about to leave the
house when his brother asked me to go and meet him and collect some money to
purchase food items for the house. I knocked on his door, he answered and asked
me to come inside. When I entered, I told him that his brother asked me to
collect money to purchase food items. He said okay and got up from where he was
sitting, and pretended as if he wanted to get the money before he grabbed me
forcefully. I struggled with him and was shouting but he over powered me and
raped me.
house when his brother asked me to go and meet him and collect some money to
purchase food items for the house. I knocked on his door, he answered and asked
me to come inside. When I entered, I told him that his brother asked me to
collect money to purchase food items. He said okay and got up from where he was
sitting, and pretended as if he wanted to get the money before he grabbed me
forcefully. I struggled with him and was shouting but he over powered me and
raped me.
Second round of rape….
“The following month when I discovered that I had missed my
monthly circle, I informed him about it but instead of finding solution to it,
he raped me a second time. I then kept disturbing him about the growing pregnancy.
What he did was to send me to a nearby chemist with a prescription but the
attendant refused to attend to me without his presence. He later went with me
and bought some drugs which he asked me to take to abort the pregnancy. I took
the drugs but nothing happened. After some days, he bought another set of drugs
which I took, yet, nothing happened.
monthly circle, I informed him about it but instead of finding solution to it,
he raped me a second time. I then kept disturbing him about the growing pregnancy.
What he did was to send me to a nearby chemist with a prescription but the
attendant refused to attend to me without his presence. He later went with me
and bought some drugs which he asked me to take to abort the pregnancy. I took
the drugs but nothing happened. After some days, he bought another set of drugs
which I took, yet, nothing happened.
I then became very worried and was disturbing him to find a
solution to the problem he caused. That was when he started threatening me and
later sacked me after paying me N19,000.
solution to the problem he caused. That was when he started threatening me and
later sacked me after paying me N19,000.
I was so afraid that when I went back to my brother who
brought me to Lagos, I didn’t tell him that I was pregnant for my boss. I was
just praying that the pregnancy will just disappear but it did not.
brought me to Lagos, I didn’t tell him that I was pregnant for my boss. I was
just praying that the pregnancy will just disappear but it did not.
Unknown to my brother that I was pregnant, he got me another
job where I worked for four months as a maid before my new employer discovered
that I was pregnant and told my brother.”
job where I worked for four months as a maid before my new employer discovered
that I was pregnant and told my brother.”
“Roda’s brother, Joshua also narrated his story to Crime
Guard. According to him, “It was January this year that we discovered she was
pregnant. Her stomach was still flat and we had to take her for scan. It was
then she revealed that her former boss, Hussein, was responsible for her
pregnancy. So, we went to Hussein’s house to confront him but he denied being
responsible for the pregnancy. We therefore reported the case to the Immigration
Department in Ikeja and on February 9, 2016, he was arrested but was later
released.
Guard. According to him, “It was January this year that we discovered she was
pregnant. Her stomach was still flat and we had to take her for scan. It was
then she revealed that her former boss, Hussein, was responsible for her
pregnancy. So, we went to Hussein’s house to confront him but he denied being
responsible for the pregnancy. We therefore reported the case to the Immigration
Department in Ikeja and on February 9, 2016, he was arrested but was later
released.
“From immigration department, my sister was taken to the
National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP. Initially,
officials of NAPTIP said she would be with them until she delivers but last
week, officials of the agency came and asked me to come and take my sister back
as she will soon deliver. The pressure and threats from NAPTIP became too much
to the extent that I don’t know whether they are protecting the interest of my
sister who was abused by a foreigner or that of the foreigner”.
National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP. Initially,
officials of NAPTIP said she would be with them until she delivers but last
week, officials of the agency came and asked me to come and take my sister back
as she will soon deliver. The pressure and threats from NAPTIP became too much
to the extent that I don’t know whether they are protecting the interest of my
sister who was abused by a foreigner or that of the foreigner”.
Joshua lamented the atrocities perpetrated by some
expatriates resident in Nigeria, saying “ these atrocities continue unabated
because the government and relevant authorities ignore the plight of helpless
victims who are at their mercy,” he stated.
expatriates resident in Nigeria, saying “ these atrocities continue unabated
because the government and relevant authorities ignore the plight of helpless
victims who are at their mercy,” he stated.
When Crime Guard visited the residence of the Lebanese, Mr
Hussein in Ikeja, he was not around but a lady in the house promised to inform
him about our visit and get back to us.
Hussein in Ikeja, he was not around but a lady in the house promised to inform
him about our visit and get back to us.
The next morning, one Mr Hassan called claiming to be the
nephew of Mr Hussein Ali. He said his sister informed him of our visit to his
residence the previous day.
nephew of Mr Hussein Ali. He said his sister informed him of our visit to his
residence the previous day.
According to him, whatever happened between his Hussein and
Roda was a mistake and that they were doing everything within to resolve the
issue while Hussein has agreed to take care of Roda until she gives birth. He however
added that a DNA will be carried out to determine the paternity of the baby but
the family will not refuse to take responsibility. “We are doing everything to
ensure she delivers safely,” he added.
Roda was a mistake and that they were doing everything within to resolve the
issue while Hussein has agreed to take care of Roda until she gives birth. He however
added that a DNA will be carried out to determine the paternity of the baby but
the family will not refuse to take responsibility. “We are doing everything to
ensure she delivers safely,” he added.
However, when Crime Guard visited Ikeja Zonal office of the
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Director
was said to have travelled out of Lagos on official duty. A lady who claims to
be the Public Relations Officer of the Agency informed Crime Guard that the
Zonal director was the only authorized officer who can speak with the press on
the issue. She then collected phone contacts and promised to arrange a meeting
with the director once he gets back.
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Director
was said to have travelled out of Lagos on official duty. A lady who claims to
be the Public Relations Officer of the Agency informed Crime Guard that the
Zonal director was the only authorized officer who can speak with the press on
the issue. She then collected phone contacts and promised to arrange a meeting
with the director once he gets back.
But she didn’t get back till date. Further efforts made to
contact her proved abortive.
contact her proved abortive.
Vanguard
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