Woman Sets 11-year-old House Help Ablaze For Stealing Meat

Bassey-Eno
Bassey-Eno

The life of an 11-year old girl, Ita Bassey-Eno, hangs in the balance after she was allegedly set ablaze by the woman she lives with, Mrs Nkese Iroakazi, a nurse at a hospital in Surulere.

Nkese was alleged to have poured kerosene on Bassey-Eno before lighting a match stick to set her ablaze after the girl was said to have stolen a piece of meat from the pot.

Witnesses said the girl ran out of their apartment at 7, Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere, to the main road with fire all over her body as she cried for help from passers-by to rescue her.

She was said to have been saved by someone driving by, who put out the fire with his car’s fire extinguisher.

The incident, which occurred last Saturday, was immediately reported at the Bode Thomas Police Station and the police from the station arrested Mrs. Nkese, while the little girl was rushed to the Burns and Trauma Centre, an annex of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital at the General Hospital, Gbagada, for urgent attention as the doctors in the hospital said she had suffered 95 percent burns and would take a miracle for her to survive.

The girl’s private part was damaged, as almost all her body got burnt.

Executive Director, Esther Child Rights Foundation, ECRF, Mrs. Esther Ogwu, who was at the hospital to see the girl, wept when she saw her pathetic state, saying that in all her life as human rights activist, she had never come across such a gruesome case as that of the little girl.

According to Ogwu, “the situation is terrible. The doctor said the girl suffered 95 percent burns and that her private part has been damaged. This woman is more than wicked. Justice must take its course.

“One of the health officials at the General Hospital, Gbagada called me and said a woman poured kerosene on the little girl staying with her and lit up a match stick and set her ablaze. The girl ran out of the house to the main road where a Good Samaritan used her car fire extinguisher to put out the fire.”

Bassey-Eno, who hails from Akwa Ibom State, was brought from the village with another girl, Happiness Okon-Bassey, 13, to live with Nkese in June 2013 on the premise that she would send them to school, but that was not to be as the two girls allegedly performed the function of domestic servants for Nkese.

The second house girl, Okon-Bassey, said she did not see when her colleague was set ablaze but that she heard her screaming when their mistress was beating her shortly before the she saw flame all over her body when she ran outside their home.

She alleged that they were maltreated and beaten thoroughly very often and that they had no time to rest as they work almost throughout the day for their mistress without going to school, saying that they normally eat twice daily.

Daughter of the alleged culprit, Ijeoma Akiti, 27, said she was not at home when the incident occurred and that she could not tell whether her mother poured kerosene on the little girl’s body and set her ablaze, but that she heard such story at the police station.

Police sources alleged that the little girl confessed that her mistress poured kerosene on her. The police at the station said the woman would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti for further investigation into the matter, but Ogwu alleged that the police were trying to shield the woman from prosecution.

In her statement at the police station, Iroakazi denied that she poured kerosene on the little girl’s body and set her ablaze.

According to her, she was in the sitting room when she heard a loud cry and rushed out only to see the girl on fire and called on people to help put out the fire.

Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, were at the hospital and the police station where they spoke with the woman, but she denied the story.

WAPA officials took Okon-Bassey, the second girl with them for rehabilitation pending when she would be reconciled with her real mother.

Bassey-Eno lies groaning in pain, and in critical condition at the General Hospital, Gbagada, with doctors battling to save her life. [PMNews]

13 COMMENTS

    • This wicked woman should be set ablaze, she won’t know d gravity of what she has done if she’s sentenced 2 life imprisonment cz her body will still be intact without pains. An eye 4 an eye. Pls human rights, record and if possible video the victim as she narrate her story coz she might not make it and the story will be turned upside down.

  1. I am yet to believe that this type of thing can happen from a nurse who have got children of her own. I wander which type of schooling that she took these children to Lagos to attend while there is free education up to secondary school level in Akwa Ibom State.
    I will pray that my able and dynamic governor will take over this case so as to be able to know why the parent of these children had to even allow their children to be taken to Lagos for schooling when schooling here in the state is free. Free with free books.
    There is some thing in this case more than what we are hearing. Not a matter of stealing meat from the pot. What of this girl refusing to be a sex doll? Why was the other girl in a different area over hearing her mistress beating the girl?
    It is the responsibility of this state to take up this matter as to stop this disgrace from the citizens of this state. I thank my governor in advance because I am sure he will handle this case.

    • The moving force behind any crime is the acceptance of its consequences. This woman must face the full weight of the law. Any one trying to shield her from prosecution will face the wrath of God. I ask God to grant the poor girl a miraculous healing.

  2. Ikwa Ibom citizeen are they very poor? The oil rich state sell their innocent and God giving children into moderm slavery. If a man can not take care of his house hold he or she is not free to live. Why is it that children from Ikwa ibom are either label house boy or girl? This is a big problem. Let face the fact if the girl have parent who cater for her will she become a slave? The woman said she will send her to school, when she have children who she can cater for to talk of sending another children to school. How much is a child school fees? Because of school you Ikwa Ibom people turn your precious children into painful slavery? How can a woman burn a human being because of a stolen fish? Ordinary fish? Did the woman not steal a fish when she was small? Look I most tell all of you 90% of women can never take care of another children, I have carry out a life survey on this, the only thing they can do, women see their biological children as precious other children are nothing to them . WOMEN PLEASE WATCH YOUR CHARACTER NO WOMAN NO CRY wicked species (woman) from Victor Edo state Nig.

  3. The police have an opportunity to prove themselves in this situation or else they loose absolute credibility in the sight of Nigerians… Its left for them to let us know the stuff they’re made up. Of!

  4. There are many more of her kind in Lagos. She must be punished. Akwa Ibom government, we are waiting for your action, do you care for your people? Please prove it now.
    The Igede people of Benue State next.