Outcry over a Woman's Inhumanity

DANGWA DANJUMA

Following intense investigation and reports by BREKETE FAMILY a flagship radio programme on Human Rights Radio and Television station focusing on human rights abuse, on how Deborah Babaji Longs, a personal assistant to Mrs Mariam Ahmodu Ali, spent three days in a dog’s cage without food or water, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested the wife of former People’s Democratic Party National Chairman and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Col. Ahmodu Ali (rtd).

The story of Deborah Babaji Longs, who worked as Mariam’s personal assistant, featured on Human Rights Radio and Television aka ‘Berekete Family’ on Saturday March 26, 2022 following a report of her alleged imprisonment by Mariam Ahmodu Ali.

Narrating her ordeal, Deborah told Brekete Family under oath that Col. Ahmodou Ali, his two daughters and a son-inlaw witnessed the life threatening humiliation and blows meted out to her by Mrs Ali in the middle of their living room in their Abuja residence.

Deborah gave gory details of how she was beaten to unconsciousness and upon her resuscitation, was subjected to interrogation from her madam’s lawyer whom she said forcefully seized her device and apps, passwords and private account details on account of a house rent transaction. She said she was locked up in a dog cage for three days without food and water before she was rescued. Thereafter she came to Brekete Family to lodge her complaint. She narrated how she suffered the bitter cold, and had insecticide sprayed directly into her eyes, electrical shocks, and use of bludgeoning brute force.

Narrating her ordeal, Deborah told Brekete Family under oath that Col. Ahmodou Ali, his two daughters and a son-inlaw witnessed the life threatening humiliation and blows meted out to her by Mrs Ali in the middle of their living room in their Abuja residence.

“While in the cage, Mummy burgled my house and carted away my belongings, credentials, documents including identification. I was later invited to a sitout area where the lawyer, a security consultant for the house and she held back my phone and purse as surety aside forbidding me from returning to my apartment until I am able to make a refund within thirty days.” Deborah tearfully narrated.

When the Police responded to the complaint of forceful imprisonment by the friends to Deborah, Mrs Ali whose residence was heavily guarded by police personnel could not be reached in three consecutive visits, until a lawyer got involved in the matter.

Mrs. Mariam's arrest was confirmed to Human Rights Radio and Television/Brekete Family on Wednesday, 27 April, 2022 by the Command Spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, who said Mariam was invited under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

Mariam Ahmodu Ali was invited by the Brekete Family for days, after several other workers also brought complaints of harassment, abuse and non-payment for work done by staff, but she failed to show up.

The arrest of Mrs Ali who reportedly has a penchant for beating up her workers and associates at the slightest misunderstanding or provocation, rekindles hope for down-trodden Nigerians at the receiving end of the wealthy and mighty in the society.

Comments

Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna By EDDY OCHIGBO, A coalition of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off. In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations. "The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank by telling the truth about the inherent dangers tha...

Climate Action: Hope rises for Kaduna!

A multi-stakeholder project to plant 10 million economic trees in Kaduna state in the next six years is in the works towards enhancing the state's vegetal cover, in accordance with the renewed global campaign against climate change. Head, Social and Enterprise Development of the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), Dangwa Abbas Danjuma who dropped the hint during the week in Kaduna while on a courtesy visit to the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, explained: "The Coalition is interested in driving a multi-stakeholder project to plant 10 million economic trees in Kaduna State on or before the end of the year 2025, this is towards re-greening Kaduna. We desire to do so across local governments in the state to empower citizens to take action against deforestation through community based groups with a sustainability plan to develop a robust value chain to improve livelihoods." While apprec...

Kaduna COVID-19 Lockdown, People Living with Disabilities and Inclusion

Chairman JONAPWD, Abdulaziz Suleiman , (Right) and a colleague (Middle) in a chat with CALPED's Yusuf Goje By SMITH WAYA Before the index case of Corona virus (Covid-19) in Nigeria, the Kaduna state government held a public hearing on the proposed Kaduna state social protection policy, in line with the administration's slogan of putting the people first. The Joint National Associations of Person with Disability(JONAPWD), Kaduna chapter, as the umbrella body for people living disabilities in the State, were invited to present a position paper on their expectations of the new policy. The Disability Community took advantage of the town-hall meeting to appeal to the state government to work assiduously towards reducing poverty and hunger in their household. The Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, assured them of the state government's commitment in ensuring that no one is left behind especially people living with disabilities. Incidently, as the State governm...

Reflecting on Kaduna State's Commitment to Open Budget

By YUSUF GOJE T he present administration of Governor Nasir Ahmed El-rufai, since coming into office in 2015, has initiated a number of reforms. These reforms are aimed at strengthening the State’s public finance management system and improving public service delivery to the residents. The reforms are rooted in key laws such as the Fiscal Responsibility Law, Public Procurement Law, Tax Codification & Consolidation Law, Public Finances Law all in 2016, and Planning & Budget Commission Law in 2017. They provide the mechanism for achieving the developmental and socio-economic aspiration in the State Development Plan (SDP, 2016-2020) through the Sectors Implementation Plan (SIP, 2016-2019) and annual budgets. The high point of these reform initiatives came in 2017 when the State government signed into the Open Government Partnership (OGP). In fact, making it the first subnational in Nigeria to do so and was later elevated as a member of OGP global in 2018. This was follo...

DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE:

'Our lives depend on our Environment' -Environmentalist Dr. Emeghara with participants at the roundtable Dr. Emeghara Ursula Ukamaka is the Deputy Provost Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State. She represented the College at a recent round table engagement involving non state actors for Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals in Kaduna State. She spoke to Cubink's Bala Shekari ...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog