It all began with the unfortunate incident of a young lawyer who allegedly escaped lynching by an irate mob that accused her of kidnapping a child.
On 14 September, 2023, Uduak Adams a lawyer based in Lagos State went to inspect a house she wanted to rent on Aborisade Street in the Surulere area of Lagos State. But things took a different turn when she was accused of having kidnapped the boy she asked for directions.
Several publications reported that an irate mob allegedly supported by the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) mercilessly flogged her with a horsewhip, struck her with planks, and subjected her to numerous punches and kicks. Her accuser Adenike Adefila is a widow and mother of two children.
Uduak was quoted to have said: “I feel extremely traumatized; it’s scary. I feel unsafe in Lagos and in Nigeria. The psychological trauma is too much, including the physical damage. The fact that videos of what I didn’t do is circulating on social media, is shameful. The accusations, having to be bashed for nothing, my dignity as a lady, as a professional and as human and an innocent citizen of Nigeria has been soiled and torn apart.”
Undoubtedly, Uduak suffered untold shame and embarrassment over the issue. The trauma of transforming from someone seeking to rent a house to being branded a kidnapper by an angry crowd must be unimaginable. But was she actually beaten up, flogged with a horsewhip, and tortured? Was her skull fractured? Did she actually suffer physical injuries such that at some point she was fighting for her life? A skull radiograph obtained by Law & Society Magazine, and conducted by Foremost Radiology Consultants Ltd. Lagos, on the day of the incident, 14 September 2023, indicated that everything was within normal ranges.
Also, a video of the incident obtained by Law & Society only showed a sitting but distraught Uduak with her handbag slung over her shoulder, struggling to answer a barrage of questions. Although her clothes were intact, she sat with tears in her eyes and voice struggling to answer all the questions.
While mob actions and frustrated Nigerians taking out their anger on one another over the slightest provocation and accusation is highly condemnable, the case of Adenike Adefila whose two young children are now at the mercy of neighbours while she is in custody awaiting the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP’s advice must be urgently attended to.
Adefila’s journey to Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre since Tuesday 17 October 2023 after the matter came up at Magistrate Court 2, Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos, was precipitated by the fear that her little boy had been kidnapped.
Now that this widow is locked up and unable to attend to her 11 and 13-year-old, are they not being exposed to untold dangers? Certainly, her case is a bailable one and she can be made to report to the police as often as the law enforcement officers direct, pending her arraignment and hearing.
While justice is being sought for Uduak, creating another injustice must be avoided.
Another sad story emerging from of all these is that some persons claiming to be close to Uduak are allegedly demanding the sum of N5 million from the widow so the matter could be terminated.
My comment is for Lawyer Uduak and The widow, Adefila…. The fear of kidnap made the widow act the way she did which is expected as a mother…. A so-called lawyer instead of going to house agents for house hunting, she went into a neighborhood to seek for vacant house from not an adult but a 14 years old boy, who does that?
On point!