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Dayo Oyewo writes on how a 10-year-old girl, Faith, allegedly died after weeks of abuse and neglect, and how her lifeless body was reportedly kept inside a room overnight
Residents of Jemesi Papa Street, Egan, in the Igando area of Lagos State, are still struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl, identified simply as Faith, and the disturbing circumstances surrounding her demise.
What began as an ordinary Sunday night in the modest compound at No. 16, has since unravelled into a chilling story of alleged abuse, neglect and concealment.
The minor was reportedly ill for about two weeks before her death, yet neighbours alleged that the physical abuse and harsh treatment she endured continued unabated despite her worsening condition.
The situation allegedly took a fatal turn on Sunday when the husband and wife were said to have brutally beaten the already ailing child, leading to her death.
It was gathered that the couple had allegedly subjected the girl to persistent maltreatment, including frequent beatings and strenuous errands considered inappropriate for a child her age.
The suspects, identified as Paul Onyeama and his wife, Adline, are currently in police custody following the grim discovery that has left residents of the community shocked and traumatised.
Suspicion begins with strange visitors
During a visit to the house on Friday, only a few occupants were seen moving around quietly as they went about their daily activities, while tension and unease hung in the atmosphere.
A neighbour, Ferdinand Igwe, who said he witnessed the events from the beginning, recalled that the first sign that something was wrong emerged late on Sunday night.
Igwe, whose room directly faces the couple’s apartment in the bungalow, said he became uneasy after noticing unusual movement in the compound on the night of the incident.
“I came back around 10 or 11pm and was about to cook when I noticed movement. I saw about eight to 10 strange men entering our compound through the backyard. I had never seen them before. I turned off my light and watched from my window. The way they came in quietly made me suspicious. I didn’t know if they were criminals or relatives,” he told our correspondent.
According to him, the men spoke an Igbo dialect that he could not understand. Although they later left the compound, the strange visit continued to trouble him.
Unknown to him at the time, a tragedy had already unfolded behind the doors of his neighbours’ apartment.
“I even stepped out to see where they were going, but they had already disappeared,” he added.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, the wife’s behaviour further heightened suspicions.
“She is the type that goes to the market very early, before 7 am. But that morning, she was still at home, lying quietly in the backyard. I approached her and asked if she was okay. She didn’t answer. I even spoke to her in Igbo, but she still kept quiet,” he said.
Her silence, coupled with her body language, struck Igwe as unusual, while her actions throughout the morning deepened his suspicion.
“She looked worried, like something was seriously wrong, and still refused to talk when I went to her. She kept going in and out of the room, locking the door repeatedly. She cooked food, served her children, packed the rest in a flask, and still continued locking the door. I was watching everything. It didn’t make sense,” Igwe said.
The situation took a dramatic turn later that morning when a group of women arrived at the compound and went straight into the suspect’s apartment.
