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The Lagos state police command said parents and guardians who assault their children and wards will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

This follows the arrest and prosecution of a housewife, Chigozie Godrick, for allegedly brutalising her ward, Ifunnaya Nwamba, 12.

Mrs Godrick was arrested last month following a petition to the police by the school authority at the Adeniyi Jones Primary School located at 1 Kudeti Street, Adekunle Village in Adeniyi Jones, where Miss Nwamba is a pupil, on repeated cases of brutality by her guardian Mrs Godrick.
Looking wrong

Miss Nwamba's classroom teacher, Mr Jimoh, noticed on April 8 that she had come to school that day with a swollen face and bruises all over her body.

Mr Jimoh took Miss Nwamba's case to the school authority and the girl, who was weak and groaning in pain, was taken to the hospital for treatment.

"After her treatment, Ifunnaya narrated her ordeal to the school authority. She stated that she was punished for her inability to wash Mrs Godrick's Nissan Sienna wagon properly. Ifunnaya is a little above four feet while the height of the car is above five feet so she was unable to wash the top parts of the car. So when her madam saw that the top of the car was not washed, she became angry and used the water hose to beat the poor girl," Mr Jimoh said.

Taking action

Following this brutality, the school authority, in a petition dated April 8 and addressed to the commissioner of police in the state, read in part:

"The management of Adeniyi Jones Primary School hereby petition the police command on the assault on one of our pupils Miss Ifunnaya Nwamba, a 12-year-old girl who was brutalised by her guardian (Mrs Chigozie Godrick). The girl claimed to have been battered as a result of her failure to wash her (Mrs Chigozie Godrick's) car to her satisfaction. This has been a re-occurring issue for the past two years. About a year ago, her back was bruised and when the management asked her, she said it was caused by hot oil poured on her by this same guardian. She claimed to have always beaten her with turning pestle, hose, pipes and wood with nails," read the petition.

The school also petitioned the executive chairman of the state's Universal Basic Education Board at Maryland, the Social Welfare, and the Guidance and Counselling Unit School services, through the education secretary of the local government education authority, who gave the school license to proceed with the case.

The police spokesperson Samuel Jinadu said the police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any parent or guardian who assaults their children and wards.

"The case was transferred to the Human Rights Department and the woman (Chigozie Godrick) was charged to court on April 14, 2011. Mrs Godrick was charged to the Ikeja Magistrate court," Mr Jinadu said.

NEXT gathered that Mrs Godrick was charged on a two-count charge of alleged assault and causing grievous bodily harm.

Miss Godrick, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000. The case has been adjourned until May 23, 2011.
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