14-year-old girl commits suicide over domestic violence

A 14-year-old girl, Desola Adeoye, has committed suicide in the Shogunle area of Lagos over fear of being tortured by her father, Sunday Adeoye.

It was gathered that Desola drank insecticide to escape torture after she was threatened by her stepmother.

It was learnt that the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, after the girl, who was said to have suffered domestic violence in the hands of her father, returned from her summer school lesson.

The girl, it was gathered, sneaked out of the house and drank the insecticide kept in the apartment to escape torture from her father who was said to be out when Desola was threatened by her stepmother.

She was reportedly rushed to a nearby private hospital where she was confirmed dead.

READ ALSO: OAU student commits suicide over depression

It was learnt that her father later retrieved her lifeless body from the hospital and took it back home with the intention of burying her secretly.

His plan was, however, thwarted by police operatives from Shogunle Divisional Police Station, who were alerted by neighbours.

“The late Desola and her two younger sisters were regularly subjected to domestic violence by their biological father and stepmother every time they made mistake.

“Shogunle Community Development Association in Oshodi, CDA, had, on numerous occasions, cautioned their father and stepmother to stop the physical abuse unleashed on their children especially late Desola Adeoye,” a neighbour who drew the attention of a non-governmental organisation, Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network (ACVPN) to the incident told Vanguard.

Confirming the incident, the Chief Operating Officer of ACVPN, Ebenezer Omejalile, called on the police, Lagos State Government, and Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to rescue the remaining two children still under the care of the couple and also get justice for Desola.

The Star