NSCDC arrests grandmother for burning 9 years old girl’s palms in Osun

A nine-year-old twin, identified as Kehinde John, was on Tuesday subjected to physical torture and abuse in Osun State when her grandmother, Mrs Victoria John burnt her fingers and palms for allegedly eating food, belonging to her brother.

Nigerian Tribune authoritatively gathered that the incident occurred around Erin Osun, community, a suburb of Osogbo, the state capital and the grandmother had been apprehended by the authorities of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Findings by our correspondent indicated that Kehinde, who is a primary three pupil of Africa Elementary School in Erin Osun community had lost her mother at a tender age, a development which compelled her to be living with the grandmother, who allegedly set her fingers on fire.

A credible source in Erin Osun informed the Nigerian Tribune correspondent that the “disheartening incident occurred on the 16th of January, 2018 around 1.45 pm. Mrs John, her grandmother uses fire to burn her two hands. The old woman did so because she caught Kehinde eating her brother’s food and she was enraged by her action and burnt her fingers with fire to serve as the deterrent against the recurrence of such behaviour.”

But, the victim had been taken to a Primary Health Care (PHC) Centre, in Erin Osun, where she is currently receiving treatment following the injuries sustained due to the burns on her palms and fingers, while the case was under investigation at the Human Trafficking and Child Abuse Department of Osun State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Confirming the incident during a telephone chat with our correspondent, Osun State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Aboluwoye Akinwande said Kehinde’s grandmother had been arrested, saying that “the little girl stays with her grandmother because investigations showed that she lost her mother at a tender age.

He stated, “it baffles me that the grandmother could be so callous to that extent of burning the little girl’s fingers. We have arrested her and the case is under investigation”.