The Nigerian Chapter of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) has condemned what it describes as the “egregious abuse” of a 14-year-old domestic worker and stepchildren allegedly perpetrated by the wife of a sitting judge in Sokoto State.
According to reports, the teenage girl, Bashirayya, who was employed as a domestic help in the household of the unnamed judge, suffered severe physical abuse along with the woman’s stepchildren. Witnesses describe the treatment as inhumane, disturbing, and emblematic of a deeper culture of cruelty and impunity that thrives even under the roof of someone charged with upholding the law.
AWLA’s statement, signed by Country Representative Falilat Oluwatoyin Orire and Secretary Oluwatoyin Ndidi Taiwo-Ojo, highlights that the employment of a 14-year-old in domestic work is a violation of Nigeria’s Child Labour Laws, the Child Rights Act, and international treaties protecting children’s welfare.Bashirayya reportedly suffered such relentless abuse that she began experiencing hallucinations, a signal of deep trauma, according to sources familiar with her condition. The young girl’s plight came to public attention only after concerned neighbors rushed her to the hospital, following the alleged perpetrator’s decision to abandon her at her father’s residence after another violent episode.
What is even more chilling, AWLA notes, is the alleged statement by the accused woman, reportedly referring to herself as untouchable, a dangerous assertion that smacks of power drunkenness and abuse of influence.
AWLA is now calling for an immediate, impartial, and thorough investigation. The organization demands justice, accountability, and the protection and rehabilitation of all victims involved. It is also urging the Nigerian Police, human rights groups, and civil society organizations to take a stand and condemn the act in one united voice.
