There has been an outcry in Lakowe Community in Lagos, following the release of a domestic violence survivor Victory Oghenovo, to her uncaring father and environment where she previously suffered severe domestic violence.

Recall that Victory was left on her own to fend for herself and her late sister because their father remarried and turned a blind eye to Victory and her late sister’s well being.

However,  Victory was reportedly rescued from her father, who couldn’t cater for her, and the late elder sister who died in the hands of her father under inexplicable circumstances.

Ipledge2nigeria gathered that Victory’s ordeal started after she was handed over to her father’s elder sister who lives in Warri Delta State. Later her father’s elder sister transferred Victory to her biological daughter Evidence Eseoghene who resides in Lagos.

Under Evidence Eseoghene’s watch, Victory suffered all manner of humiliation, severe torture, starvation, and bodily injuries.

One of such abuses suffered by Victory happen on the 11th of April 2022 Eseoghene physically tortured Victory using a hot knife to burn her for taking 100 naira from the POS sales to buy food because she was hungry.

Luckily, Victory’s domestic abuse was brought to the notice of Comrade Harmony Tache an official of Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Persons in Nigeria, (ACVPN) who took Victory to the police station where the case was incidented and a medical report was issued to Harmony Tache to treat Victory. 

Unfortunately, the perpetrator was never arrested. And even when the case was transferred to the Gender Anti-Human Trafficking Unit SCID PANTI as a result of public outcry it was rejected based on the fact that the perpetrator was not arrested.

According to Harmony Tache,  Victory was handed over to me with a  police extract to cater for her while a manhunt was ongoing to apprehend the Evidence Eseoghene, however till date nothing happened.”

During her stay with me Victory got better and fully recovered. So I contacted the Child protection Unit Lagos State Ministry of Youth and social Development (MYSD) in Alausa Ikeja several times so that she could be placed in a Government approved shelter.”

“Victory ended up spending two months at at my place which almost cost me my marriage .

It took several calls and written letters back and forth before Victory was taken over by the Child Protection Unit Lagos ministry of Youth and Social development.”

Giving excuses, the victims father stated because he couldn’t take take care of Victory and her sister that was why he gave her to his elder sister, I didn’t know my sister would send Victory to her daughter.”

“But I noticed that whenever I called my niece Eseoghene to ask after Victory’s well being I was given the impression that my daughter was fine unknown to me that my daughter was under duress and was passing through hell.

Ipledge2nigeria also gathered that Harmony Tache narrowly escaped being attacked by irate residents in the community who accused her of being behind the release of Victory to her irresponsible father despite the the fact that her cousin who inflicted several injuries on Victory was never arrested. 

It took the timely intervention of the community head who waded into the matter that it wasn’t Tache that should be blamed but the Child protection Unit Lagos ministry of Youth and social Development (MYSD) Alausa  Ikeja.

Lamenting, Operating Officer, Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Persons in Nigeria, (ACVPN) Ebenezer Omajalile said it is worrisome that Victory was released back to the abusive environment where she was initially rescued from.”

“We were never not contacted or informed by the child protection Unit Lagos State Ministry of Youth and social Development MYSD  regarding Victory release despite the fact that we spent a fortune in ensuring Victory recovered from her injuries she suffered in the hands of her cousin Eseoghene who the family claimed she’s at large till date.

It is totally unacceptable that a survivor would be returned to her abusive environment by a government agency that should protect the rights of a teenage survivor