Osogbo, Osun State — A teenage girl has sustained severe burns after allegedly being attacked with a hot pressing iron by a local tailor identified as Iya Abdullahi, following a disagreement over a poorly sewn outfit. The incident occurred on Wednesday at the tailor’s shop in the Obelawo area of Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
According to accounts from the 17-year-old victim (name withheld for protection), she had returned to the tailor’s shop to complain that the clothing she had commissioned was poorly sewn and too short for her to wear. What began as a civil complaint quickly escalated into violence.
“She refused to adjust the dress and instead started hurling curses at me,” the teenager recounted from her hospital bed. “When I challenged her verbally, she picked a stick and started flogging me. I managed to seize the cane from her, but then she ran into her shop, brought out a hot pressing iron, and pressed it on my body several times.”
The survivor, who is currently receiving treatment at Olorungbebe Medical Center, Zone B, Palace Road Community, Ido-Osun, sustained serious burns on several parts of her body. Photos of the injuries obtained by this reporter reveal multiple large blisters and scald wounds consistent with contact burns.
The incident has sparked outrage, particularly from a leading Osun-based non-governmental organization, Value Female Network (VFN). In a statement issued to The Guardian and shared with the Ministry of Justice, the Executive Director of VFN, Dr. Costly Aderibigbe-Saba, condemned the attack and demanded immediate legal action.
“This incident reflects a disturbing trend of impunity and abuse,” Dr. Aderibigbe-Saba said. “What should have been a simple correction of a clothing error turned into a violent attack on a minor. To make matters worse, we are receiving credible allegations that the tailor’s husband, a serving police officer, is using his position to suppress the matter.”
According to the organization’s findings, not only was the victim assaulted, but her mother was also allegedly harassed and later detained by policemen believed to be acting on the instruction of the tailor’s husband. These developments, the NGO says, represent an appalling misuse of police authority.
In a counter-narrative provided during a telephone interview, Iya Abdullahi claimed she was the victim in the altercation. She alleged that the teenager had brought the outfit under false pretenses and later became violent when confronted.
“She lied about the ownership of the cloth and when I confronted her, she insulted me,” Abdullahi stated. “She came to my shop, stepped on my clothes, and started scattering them. During the altercation, she reached for the hot iron, and in our struggle, both of us got injured.”
Abdullahi further confirmed that her husband, a police officer, was involved in managing the aftermath of the incident, although she denied allegations of using his influence to suppress justice.
Despite public interest and NGO involvement, law enforcement appears slow to act decisively. Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Osun State Command were unsuccessful, as phone calls placed to the office went unanswered at the time of this report.
Meanwhile, sources from Value Female Network confirmed that on Thursday morning, the tailor allegedly mobilized policemen from the Dugbe Police Station in Osogbo to arrest and detain the victim’s mother. This move is suspected to be an act of intimidation, aimed at discouraging the pursuit of justice.
“This is not just an assault on a minor,” said Aduke Obelawo, a prominent gender rights advocate who first reported the case to VFN. “It is a full-blown abuse of power, with layers of corruption, gender-based violence, and gross human rights violations.”
In a twist, it was gathered that the case has also been reported to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), possibly as a means to bypass the compromised position of the local police force. NSCDC officials reportedly visited the hospital and spoke with the victim and her family.
Legal observers and rights groups are now calling for an independent investigation to avoid bias and ensure accountability.
“This case must not be swept under the rug,” said Dr. Aderibigbe-Saba. “The assault on a minor, followed by the alleged intimidation of her family, underscores a deeper rot in the system. We are demanding that the Ministry of Justice takes swift action to prosecute those responsible and investigate any cover-up by law enforcement officials.”
As the public awaits formal responses from the police and the state’s justice ministry, civil society organizations are gearing up for peaceful demonstrations and legal actions to ensure the case does not die in silence.
This story will be updated as new information becomes available.