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A heartbreaking case of alleged child sexual abuse has emerged in a local community, drawing widespread public attention and raising serious concerns about the safety of vulnerable children and the treatment of women seeking justice.
According to child-rights advocate Toyin Ndidi Taiwo, who is assisting the family, the two young girls involved—aged 3 and 8—have endured extreme hardship for most of their lives, along with their mother.
The mother’s story is marked by tragedy from the very beginning. She and her twin sister lost their mother during childbirth. Their father died shortly afterward, leaving the newborn twins in the care of their grandmother. Due to extreme poverty, the grandmother could not support their education beyond junior secondary school, and they were forced to drop out.
At age 18, the twins got married. The cycle of heartbreak continued when the mother’s twin sister died from excessive bleeding while giving birth to her second child. Though pregnant with her own second child at the time, the woman took full responsibility for her late sister’s children.
After giving birth to two children of her own, her husband abandoned her and forced her out of their home. Left with no support system, she relocated to her small shop with all four children—her two biological children and her late sister’s two.
The shop, located in a flood-prone area, was later destroyed by heavy rainfall. The structure collapsed and washed away along with all her goods and savings. She barely managed to escape with the children.
With nowhere else to stay, the family began sleeping inside abandoned tricycles. On several occasions, police officers arrested her for “loitering,” made her sweep the station compound the next morning, and then released her.
Alleged Abuser Offered “Help” Before Assaulting the Children
It was during this period of desperation that a man offered her help, claiming he had found a new place and would soon move out of his current one-room apartment. According to reports, he allowed the family to stay with him temporarily. It later turned out to be a deceptive gesture.
The man allegedly went on to sexually abuse the woman’s two daughters, infecting the younger child with a venereal disease. He has been arrested.
Survivor Faces Intimidation Instead of Support
Despite the arrest, the mother is now allegedly facing intense pressure from the suspect’s family to “settle out of court.” She has refused to withdraw the case.
Shockingly, some members of her community have reportedly turned against her.
According to Taiwo, some residents have mocked, insulted, and blamed her for reporting the abuse, arguing that the suspect “helped her when she was homeless.”
In a disturbing twist, some of those who harassed her were women—mothers themselves. One neighbor allegedly advised her to lie to the authorities and claim that a runaway 5-year-old boy committed the assault, just to protect the perpetrator.
Human-Rights Advocate Intervenes
Taiwo, who shared the children’s story online, expressed deep emotion over the case and condemned the community’s attitude.
“This society expects women to endure pain silently and sees children as disposable, as long as an adult benefitted somewhere,” she said. “But she refuses to be silenced, and I refuse to let her stand alone.”
Taiwo also confirmed that she will secure new accommodation for the mother and her four children next week.
A photo shared alongside the report shows the two little girls standing with their backs to the camera—a visual reminder of the innocence destroyed by the alleged act.
Call for Justice
Child-rights activists are calling on authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and to protect the mother and her children from intimidation. Many have demanded that law enforcement and social services intervene to safeguard the children’s welfare and ensure justice is served.
For now, the mother continues to stand firm, insisting that no pressure or threats will make her abandon the case.
