FACT-CHECK: Did Authorities of NAOWA School Badagry Cover Up Alleged Defilement of Six-Year-old School Girl with Speech Impairment?

FACT-CHECK: Did Authorities of NAOWA School Badagry Cover Up Alleged Defilement of Six-Year-old School Girl with Speech Impairment?

CLAIMS: On Wednesday 19 July 2023, Sahara Reporters reported that a six-year-old girl (name withheld), a kindergarten pupil at the Nigeria Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) Nursery and Primary School in Badagry, Lagos State was defiled in her school on her graduation day.

FULL TEXT: A six-year-old girl (name withheld) who was in kindergarten at the Nigeria Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) Nursery and Primary School in Badagry, Lagos State has been reportedly defiled in her school.

The girl, a special child with hearing and speech impairment, was reportedly defiled on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, during their graduation ceremony.

Meanwhile, her family has raised an alarm that the school authority is trying to cover up the violation of their daughter.

The father, Mark Akande lamented the violation of his daughter in a school that he felt should protect her dignity.

According to him, regrettably, the school authority instead of investigating the matter to fish out the person who defiled his daughter, is busy trying to cover it up.

VERIFICATION: While considering the sensitivity of the occurrence, our readers should therefore understand our zeal for objectivity. Our Source, Secure Naija conducted an Investigative report and wishes to give the true version of the story not analysed by the Sahara. Nevertheless, we wish to state that, this write-up is to state the true account of the story.

However, following investigation carried out by our reporter we find that, Sahara Reporters did not balance its report, the reporter only rushed to the Press to publicize a negative report to embarrass the Nigerian Army . According to Sahara reporters, the father of this special child alleged the school authority of cover up, instead of investigating the matter to fish out the person who defiled his daughter. Based on our investigation from the School authority, the first of call or authority that could investigate a case of defilement is a Medical facility. That was where the mother was advised to take the child, with full support from the School Authority and the Commanding Officer of the barracks.

The first investigation was carried out by the medical doctor in the barracks, Both the medical report from the military hospital and Lagos State General Hospital where tests were conducted on the victim, showed that she was not defiled but could have been assaulted sexually. The medical report from the Military hospital, with Ref: 243BNMRS/G1/300/03, dated July 20, 2023, which was signed by Captain O. D. Abe, Regimental Medical Officer, also recommended further police investigation. The reports are as follow:

CONTENT OF REPORT FROM MILITARY MEDICAL FACILITY

“Patient was brought in with no obvious discomfort. The mother said she noticed the child’s expression of pain while bathing her. No bleeding nor blood stains were noticed by her mother on her clothing while bathing.”On examination, no area of bruises nor scratches mark seen. The vagina appeared normal without the hymen in place.”The investigation results are as follows: HIV – Non-Reactive; HCV – Non-Reactive; HBsAg- Non-Reactive and Urinalysis – Nil Abnormality Detected.””Assessment of ruptured hymen in a special child with no known cause but suspected abuse was made. She is therefore recommended for further police investigation and to be enrolled in a school of special children,” the report reads.

CONTENT OF REPORT FROM GENERAL HOSPITAL BADAGRY

The report dated July 26, 2023, with Ref -165010 read, “I Dr Akinyemi, Akinwunmi Olayide Medical Practitioner of General Hospital Badagry do hereby certify that on the 20th day of July, 2023, Police Inspr. Adebiyi Grace did bring to me for examinations:”A person named (name withheld) Female. Complaint: Suspicion of Sexual Assault. Upon examination, I found as follows: A 6-year-old healthy looking child with speech impairment. Vaginal examination revealed an offensive odour from the vagina with areas of hyperaemia on inner aspect of both vulva. the uretral orifice appeared normal. Hymen appeared intact hyperemia vulva? cause. Kiv – (1) Trauma (2) Sexual Assault.

“What is an Hymen? An hymen is a small, thin piece of tissue at the opening of a vagina. It’s formed by fragments of tissue left over from fetal development. The size, shape and thickness of ones hymen are unique and can change over time.

DID THE MILITARY DOCTOR COVER UP THE SUSPECTED DEFILEMENT?

Reviewing the above results, it could be clearly seen, if objectively reviewed, that the deductions from the reports from the military medical facility and the General hospital are of similar conclusion. It was the report from Dr OD Abe that recommended further investigation by the police, it was also his report that observed a broken hymen while the General hospital’s report confirmed that the hymen was intact. If really the doctor wanted to cover up, the conclusion of his report would be different from that of the General Hospital. He won’t also request for further investigation by the Police. However, it was gathered that the Doctor did not refer the parents for further medical examination.

According to a Nurse from the Military medical facility, she said, in an attempt to give professional medical explanation on those other factors which could also have been responsible, as not only defilement could cause such trauma, the parents viewed it as a cover up by the doctor, hence the father insisted that the military doctor should give him a medical report.

A copy of the report was also immediately made available to the Battalion Headquarters. According to a civillian teacher in the school who begged for anonymity, he said, “the CO was disturbed because of the condition of the child ( as a special child). He said the CO ordered immediate investigation into the matter, personally following it up to get to the root of the matter.” He further said, “the CO doesn’t joke with the welfare of children in the barracks and it was more painful to him that a callous person could think of taking advantage of the innocent special child. While showing disappointment on the allegation levied against the military medical doctor of alleged cover up, our source narrated further, “however, it was a shock while we awaited the outcome of the investigation and suddenly, Sahara reporters wrongly narrated the whole event, alleging the military of cover up, seriously its very painful”.

A further analysis from another source seems to differ from Sahara reporters that the event happened on the Graduation Day. The source who also claimed anonymity said, “the comment of the mother while taking the victim to the hospital for medical examination, showed that no defilement occured on the said day. According to her, “The mother said she noticed the child’s expression of pain while bathing her. However, there was no bleeding nor blood stains, bruises or scratches on the victim’s clothing and private part respectively. The report of the test also affirmed this. Furthermore, the victim’s private part also appeared normal. Only the military medical doctor was of the opinion that everything was normal without the hymen in place. Hence, our source advised that further investigation could be extended beyond the Graduation day.

Furthermore, based on our interview with a non-teaching staff in the School, it was revealed that tickets were issued to all graduating students and their parent prior to the date of the graduating ceremony. This was to check uninvited persons from gaining access into the school premises while one of the teachers was assigned to mount the gate by the Headmistress to prevent uninvited persons access to the School premises. It was also gathered that at the end of the graduation ceremony, all parents took their children and wards home including the mother of the victim.

The parents of the victim could not be reached to find out their own narratives concerning the incident as both parents were said to have travelled prior to the time of our investigation. Their mobile numbers were also not connecting.

Conclusion: On the whole, Secured Naija is of the opinion that the Military Medical Centre and the doctors did not have any plan to cover up the story as Sahara Reporters alleged. We are also aware that the Nigerian Army does not condone this kind of incident and we are sure that more investigation would be carried out to reveal the truth.