The parents of an 18-year-old girl identified as Amaka Nweke
have been accused of allegedly beating their daughter to death for allegedly
dating a Yoruba boy by residents of Agility community at Mile 12 area of Lagos
State,
Amaka was also
allegedly tortured and starved by her parents who were enraged that she got
impregnated not just by a Yoruba boy but also a Muslim.
The girl's father, Mike Nweke who denied putting his
daughter through such horrendous act repeatedly said “Is it possible for a
parent to kill his own child?” when questioned by newsmen. He was also accused
of confronting residents of the community who were vocal about the brutal torture
he and his wife allegedly subjected their daughter to.
Before her death, Amaka reportedly welcomed a baby boy
christened Zaeed, fathered by one Ibrahim Lawal she started dating when she was
in Senior Secondary School (SSS).
Recounting the torture the deceased was subjected to, one of
the Nwekes’ neighbours identified simply as Adebola, said;
“Amaka went
through a lot. She really suffered. When Amaka and Ibrahim were dating, her
parents were always threatening her. They told her that they didn’t want her to
continue associating with the boy. What broke the camel’s back was Amaka
becoming pregnant for Ibrahim. Her parents were livid and starved her of food.
“Whenever her
parents were beating her, some of us would approach and beg them to stop. They
used to beat her with different objects even while she was pregnant. Whenever
her boyfriend brought food to her, they would not allow her to have access to
it.
"When Amaka
was delivered of her baby, her parents couldn’t afford the medical bill. They
had to call on Ibrahim’s family. His family gladly paid up before the new
mother was discharged from the hospital.
“After she was
released from the hospital, her parents tried to prevent the husband’s family
from naming their grandchild. But it took the intervention of the Chairman of
the Community Development Association (CDA) and some elders in the area before
the Nwekes released the baby to them.”
New Telegraph
reported that Ibrahim’s mother, Mrs. Ebunola Lawal alleged she reported the
incessant assault Amaka got from her parents to the police.
“When my son
impregnated Amaka, I didn’t reject the pregnancy. I was already used to seeing
them together. When it was clear to me that Ibrahim was the owner of the
pregnancy, I started taking care of the girl as my daughter-in-law. I, however,
noticed that whenever I go to give her foodstuff, her mother wouldn’t want her
to collect it from me. I used to force her before she would collect it.
"When Amaka
was in labour, her parents didn’t inform us. It was Ibrahim who saw her mother
take her to hospital and alerted us. I couldn’t go to the hospital that fateful
day, but the following day, Ibrahim went to the hospital to check on her and
found she was delivered successfully.
“When it was time
for mother and child to be discharged from the hospital, Amaka’s parents
couldn’t afford the medical bill. They sent for us and we later paid the money.
The parents took Amaka and the baby to their house, instead of the father’s
house.
Ebunola also alleged
that the Nwekes refused releasing the baby for the naming ceremony on the 8th
day.
She said;
“We went to Amaka’s house as early as 6a.m.
We begged them till noon before they finally released the baby to us with the
assistance of some elders in the community.
“The parents also
gave us two hours to return the baby. Two weeks after the naming ceremony, my
husband and I went back to Amaka’s parents’ house to check on our grandchild,
but Mrs. Nweke prevented us from seeing the baby and Amaka.
“When the pressure
from her parents to stop seeing Ibrahim was becoming too much, Amaka told
Ibrahim to stop coming. She said that they would be discussing on the phone.
She told him that whenever he comes to visit her, her parents would pounce on
her and beat her mercilessly. Mrs. Nweke didn’t like Amaka’s union with my son.
“The major issue
that led to Amaka’ death started on January 1, 2020. This was after she came to our house to
collect clothes for herself and the baby, to celebrate the Yuletide. A few
minutes after she left our house, she called Ibrahim on the phone that her
mother had started beating her for collecting the clothes and money from us. I
was informed that her parents collected the baby from her and locked her in
their apartment and beat her for two days.
“It was in the
process of beating her that she became unconscious. The parents rushed her to
hospital in the neighbourhood and they were referred to Gbagada General
Hospital, where she was confirmed dead on Sunday. When Ibrahim went to check
her at the hospital, she couldn’t stand up or sit. She just lied on the bed.
The most annoying aspect of it was that when they were rushing Amaka to
hospital, they gave our four-months-old grandson to a neighbour, instead of
bringing him to us to mind.
“When we went to
collect the baby from the woman they gave him to, she refused to release him to
us. But out of pressure, she eventually released him. I’ll miss Amaka; she was
an easy going girl. I accepted her as my son’s wife because of her attitude. It
was her parents that killed her.”
A nurse identified as
Omotola, disclosed that the deceased sought her assistance after the beatings
from her parents became unbearable.
Omotola said;
“Amaka called me and asked that I should
rescue her. She said that she didn’t want to die.
“When I didn’t see
Amaka for some days, I became worried. I chatted with her up on Facebook, and
she told me that she was sick due to the series of beatings she received from
her parents. She told me that Ibrahim was bringing money to her to buy drugs.
When I couldn’t bear it again, I went to see her. When I saw her, I noticed
that her breathing was difficult and terrible. I didn’t like the way she was
breathing. I went to a chemist to get her some pain relieving drugs, which I
gave to her.
“Before I left, I
noticed she was not improving. I quickly called her father on the phone and
urged him to take her to hospital. I even suggested taking her to the hospital
I work. I heard the following day that the parents didn’t heed my advice. They
didn’t take her to hospital that day. They decided to take her to the hospital
the following day. I don’t know why they decided to waste the life of that poor
girl. Amaka was punished until she died.”
Mike Nweke however
maintained his innocence and that of his wife. He said;
“Is it possible for a father to kill his
only daughter, I don’t beat my children. My wife is a woman of virtue; she
doesn’t beat our children, she is not a wicked woman. We didn’t beat her
because we saw her going to Ibrahim’s house. Everything Ibrahim’s family said
was false because now I’m in mourning. I
came from a Christian family. I warned my wife to stop disturbing Amaka and
Ibrahim. I told my wife that if God said the union was ordained from Him, they
would live together as a husband and wife. I have never disturbed them.
“When Amaka took
ill, we rushed her to two private hospitals before we were referred to Gbagada
General Hospital where she died.”
When asked about
Amaka’s baby, Mike said they left the baby with a neighbour in Lagos because he
couldn’t take him to Ebonyi State.
He added;
“I’m only going to Ebonyi State with
Amaka’s mother and siblings.”
Lagos State Police
Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana who confirmed the incident
said they are awaiting a medical report to ascertain the cause of death.
Bala said;
“We are waiting for medical report to
ascertain the cause of death. Investigation is still ongoing.”
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