AS woman leader of a political party, Mrs Ronke Okusanya is expected to champion the cause of the girl-child.
Compass
Update: Read the complete story below:
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AS woman leader of a political party, Mrs Ronke Okusanya is expected to champion the cause of the girl-child. But this appears not to be so, as she was arrested on Friday by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Reason: She was linked with the alleged brutalisation of a house maid by another society lady.
Okusanya is the Ekiti State Woman Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the party that is currently holding the reins of power in the state. She is also the executive chairperson of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).
She is believed to be a close friend of Mrs Folasade Bankole, the General Manager of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in Ado Ekiti, who has been accused of brutalising the 16-year-old house maid.
The wound on the girl's hand speaks volumes of how she might have been brutalised. The girl, simply identified as Buka, was reportedly trafficked from Saki in Oyo State to Ekiti, to serve as house maid to the Bankoles.
The NTA boss has been accused of placing a hot iron on Buka, in anger because the young girl burnt a part of the woman's dress while ironing it.
The Head, Communication and Media of NAPTIP, Mr. Orakwue Arinze, last night told Sunday Compass that Mrs Bankole was interrogated over the allegation of brutalisation. He added that another woman, in whose custody the brutalised girl was found, was also questioned.
Impeccable sources told Sunday Compass that Mrs Okusanya was the "other woman", whose political standing Arinze said was of no importance to his agency.
"All I can confirm to you is that Mrs Bankole was quizzed along with that other woman. As soon as our investigations are complete, we will take them to court. It could be Monday or any day after."
The agency regards the alleged trafficking and brutalisation as a clear case of child abuse.
Okusanya was detained at the police station in Iyin-Ekiti.