Her name is Blessing Effiong from Akwa Ibom state and in 2008 when she was only 16, she was arrested and detained for being in possession of a stolen N10, 000 phone. She has been awaiting trial at the female section of Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos for four years now. Unbelievable, right?
Hear Blessing:
In 2008, I bought a Starcomms phone for N10,000 in order to start a business centre. A few days later, a man called me and said the phone was stolen from him. I told the man I didn’t know it was stolen. We had an agreement that I should return the phone and he would refund my money.
Please continue reading...I gave the man my address but when he got to my place, he said the phone was stolen from him along with his laptop and some other vital documents. He accused me of being a thief, called the police and had me arrested. I was charged with robbery and have been in Kirikiri since then as my trial has yet to begin.
The Akwa-Ibom indigene, who was interviewed by the Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Ade Ipaye, and representatives of the Office of the Public Defender, during a visit to the prisons to evaluate the number of awaiting trial persons there, narrated in detail how she had been incarcerated since the age of 16 because she could not afford the services of a lawyer.
Effiong said she was arrested at her guardian’s house in Ebute-Meta but was transferred to the Agboju Police Division from where she was taken to an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.
She said although she was 16 at the time of her arrest, the Investigating Police Officer claimed she was 21 so that she would be tried as an adult.
“I told the IPO that I was only 16 years old and that I knew nothing about the stolen phone but the IPO wrote 21 on my statement and claimed I was lying about my age. I was arraigned as an adult,” she said.
Effiong added that even after four years, her trial had not begun as the court was said to be awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
(Culled from Punch)
(Culled from Punch)
Oh Nigeria, sometimes I cry for thee! Can you guys believe this? I'm going to look for this girl to see how we can help her...
97 comments:
she shud sue there ass wen she gts out!!!!!!
very sad!!
This is insane!!! A young girl's life put on hold for 4yrs cos of a 10k fone. Dat man dt claimed d fone is also craaaazy. May God visit him in d middle of d night!!!!
9ja na wah oooo, i hail theee, wen some pple dey steal millions nd dem dey waka freely...hummmmm
May God ve mercy!!!
that ipo must be fished out and sentence for 10 years with hard labor. what a cruel IPO and the jutice system in Nigeria is just rubbish. if it is in advanced country, the girl will sue but the man and the government.
It can only be in naija.... wish it happen in UK u don hit jackpot be that but unfortunate it can't never happen here.
Some jack ass stealing million/billion from government yet dey get celebrated rather Dan locking dem up.
naija i hail oooo
Ow sad, imagine d poor girl, 4yrs without trial. *smh* 4 Nigeria
This is unfortunate and a rather common problem. The person that got her locked up has probably forgotten he got someone jailed. No wonder they all have psychological issues due to their bad deeds and callous indifference
The syste4m also stinks, why is someone being charged and not getting their due day in court. They probably want to be bribed
for her freedom
Linda, please keep pushing this case so she can get freed.
Oh Linda, am shedding tears...
Nigeria Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (NAID) Factor!http://www.mynaijainfo.blogspot.com/
Oh dear ...so pathetic! Many people are going through a lot in that country just to provide themselves with the amenities the system has refused to provide.
This is exactly what will call nonsense.Poor girl suffering in jail for nothing.For how 10K phone.hah.wonders shall never end.I pity u ooh Blessing.But just keep praying dear help will come your way soon
Awww...this is indeed sad, so unfair, whereas politicians steal huge amount of money and arent tried, Na wa oh. God help us in this country.
Really sad
Dis is d height of wickedness, Haba 10k phone?? Even after she narrated all dt transpired during the time. Dis is crazy oh and unfair whereas politicians syphon huge amount and go unpunished, Odiegwu...
Linda n all LIB readers,let us do wateva we cn 2 mk sure dis girl' story gets 2 d proper authorities and kip pressin until she's freed................
i am almost in tears.......why.......what has she done...even if she stole hundred thousand naira.....
Question is, after all said and done. Where has been her own family members these four years? The system is rotten no doubt. But you just try to do the little you can do and hopefully something will give way.
The Lagos office of public defenders should be commended. With them having come in the girl's freedom is at hand.
This is Naija. Wetin you think say go happen before? A 16 yr old at Kirikiri prisons? No way the warders will let her off in quick time. How often do they get to jollof pretty-young-thing without paying a penny? She should pray she doesn't become pregnant whilst there! Sad but true.
This is very sad. And to think we have people who stole pension funds are still walking the streets as free men.
Amen
Why are we So wicked in this Country?, Gosh!
Injustice! not fair. just a phone n 4years of her life has been wasted. people loot, still public funds n walk around freely no one jails them. God have mercy!
maybe we should get her a lawyer..we do charities why not Legal funding..
Yeah ryte in jail for 10k phone meanwhile all d criminal politicians dat steal millions r walking arnd free. God help us.
God....Which kain country be this sef...where we celebrate the thieves and suffered the less privilege ones. 4yrs bcos of 10k fone...Ds is absolute madness. Pls Linda find out how people can help on this matter.
Dee
@09:23's comment Lmaoooo. U r on point man, if nah UK she don turn millionaire be that and probably celeb. Lol.
9ja and da Justice System needs deliverance. All those their uneducated officers feeling like gods with their dirty unironed uniform.... Fools
That is so bad poor girl. U see wan some one stole my blackberry and after like I find out it was be use by a man all what I did is to for get about it . Policeman have to Chang and stop lieing believe me u don't know tomorrow that girl u are seeing can become the fist lead of nigeria tomorrow
For this type of story, we shouldn't just make comments. We should press and help this girl out. THIS STORY SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS ENTERTAINMENT. Linda, I would only be happy if this story is seen to the conclusive end
He's back!!!
That is so bad poor girl. U see wan some one stole my blackberry and after like I find out it was be use by a man all what I did is to for get about it . Policeman have to Chang and stop lieing believe me u don't know tomorrow that girl u are seeing can become the fist lead of nigeria tomorrow
We are talking too much, how do we help ds girl for crying out loud... Pls pass d msg round atleast a good lawyer could take up d case.. Linda, God will bless u as u intervene in ds case...
Hello Linda, im really Interested in helping with the case of this young girl. How can i contact you directly. The Prison system is a crazy one and if nothing is done she cud be there for a very onlg time. My email is tyfajj@gmail.com. Please contact me. Thank you
diva on kill me with lafta,God for visit am in d middle of d night indeed! lol
Hw can a thief give out her address,dat man i§ sensless,,our nig police Я fools ••̸№ investigation was carried out..if dem C real thiefs dεγ wll take tÆ ̴̴̴͡ heels..anuaofia
God wll punish dat man,,bt hw her guardian come 4get her dere too...poverty no gud
My heart bleeds! atleast now we have a reasonable IG, let us make noise about her situation till he takes it up, who can imagine what she would have passed through in Kirikiri in all of four years? with the unkind treatment there she will definitely come out hardened. The Prison system is not a correctional facility, rather it is a place where monsters are bred.
I pray she lives a normal life when she gets out.
this is so sad! a country where many ppl and defenceless withut a voice. can u just imagin the level of cruety? this stories should be taken to CNN, BBC and other int'l media so they can knw hw bad how justices system is and how corrupt our police officer are. abeke dabiri should come back to nigeria and help the ppl here first before going to brasil for publicity. akwa ibom govt should fight for their own. poor girl, i wish i was a lawyer i would have taken up this case for charity and sue both the govt and the man who arrestted her under pretence. bastards...may they never fine true justice in their lives. fooolllllls
If this is possible I hope she does!! Its a small world, whoever coincidentally happens to follow up dis case and sees dis shud bring up d suing ish!!!
Linda, good to know you wanna wield your influence in assisting the poor girl, and while at it, you can also take a tour in the prison (kirikiri). Many young lads are rotten away in jail for offence they hardly understand.
Some are environmental related and others were arrested for hawking wares like Gala, pure water, handkerchief, chips, lacasera etc. Funny enough, most of them hardly understand the charges that was been read to them. They ended up getting remanded in prison since the option of fines imposed on them are unrealistic.
You will be amazed at what you will discover if you can embark on such adventure.
The man obviously lied about the laptop and documents....he wasn't robbed...he probably misplaced the fone and someone sold it to the poor girl..cos if she did steal it, she would not have given him her addy...na God go punish the imbecile of a man and the useless police officers....shey Dem sef go born or have kids already.......very useless country.
So sad!!!!
http://www.under35ceo.com
Even if na gold/diamond/platinum Plated BB porsche she 'steal',its enuf 4 her to be in jail for 4 yrs?! Age changd frm 16 to 21? If she cnt afford a lawyer,isnt it d duty of d state to provide 1?! Bastard public officials steal billions nd stay freer dan birds?! Tufiakwa!*nuff said*....Dave1
ShameFUL ..to say the least!
Sebi u see why God gets angry? Why why why? She is only a young gal, even if she stole your phone why steal her youth from her?
LOOL smh
dis is quite sad...meanwhile wah r her parents sayin abt dis..or doesnt she hv relatives.... mehn i feel for her oooo....
tafa balogun + bode goerge + that oceanic bank woman did not get four yeaars altogether...How much do they stole again...i don forget.....
Lin Lin we must follow ds case to a logical conclusion,some thieves from their mothers' womb are busy stealing people's hard earned money and spending time in five star cells and hospitals while d life of a poor girl is being wasted.GOD must surely punish those trying to waste ds young lady's life.
PLS, IM CONFUSED.... WOULD A ROBBER GIVE OUT HER ACTUAL ADDRESS?! WHY WOULD THE GUY WHO OWNED THE PHONE HAVE HER ARRESTED? I'M SURE HE'S TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE POOR GIRL.
4 YEARS????!!!!!! HAAAA!! PLEASE, LAWYERS ON THIS BLOG HELP DIS POOR GIRL OUT.
may God help Nigeria
Pls type in English....... Thank u.
Lmao!! As in! Terrible English yuh! Goddamit!
Nkan mbe things are happening ......*sighs*
That bastard Tafa! Where is the hippo now sef? And that his fucking Proud Son!!! Ugly family line! Fat frogs.
you mean she's still in prison ?????
This is so sad, smh for Nigeria may God have mercy on our dear country.Poor girl,4 years of her life just wasted.God please vindicate her and punish all those involved in this injustice.
GOD must surely punish those who are bent on wasting this young girl's life.
God help nigeria. She should sue them off. What is 10,000 it can't even feed someone well. All the politicians stealing billions nko. I am crying here Linda something must be done. Linda we must do something we must we must we must. Linda we must.
Linda, may God strengthen u as u help this girl! Www.facebook.com/belmondsfashionstore
That shows the rot of the police and the judiciary.
We should, we should. Which one you dey. Oya, what do you suggest LIB readers do?
This story should not be see as entertainment abi? I agree. Oya tell us how to begin to see it.
Come on, take up the mantle and lead, oya! Ngba, put your mouth where your money is, walk and work the talk.
2 yrs i er et tosse land at en sidder inde i
2 år for noget man ikke har gjort
That's wonderful Toyin. God bless you. Just in case you intend to add l.o.n.g in any correspondence while trying to save the girl abeg no spell onlg o! Before those Prison authorities throw you inside prison for impersonification.(just joking, don't mind me)
U guys r evil! Lol! 1st time commenting.
NYC-1 says: It mystify me why some Nigerians derive pleasure in inflicting pain and injustice to others. Don't be surprice if you see this man carrying
Bible or Quran every Sunday or Friday. We claim to be a religious nation, yet the atrocities we commit are unspeakable.
Every time I see a police officer here in New York, I feel protected and secured; any time I come home to Nigeria and see a police officer, what comes to mind is 'thief'; I hope I have some Naira to give this guy b4 he assaults me. These guys are law onto themselves and you are at their mercy. It isn't right. Every human life is sacred and must not be messed with.
linda do something...waiting to hear from you linda...this is injustic...man inhumanity to man...smhhhhhh niaja..linda do somthing ooo...you nigerian moses.
So 10k phone is 4yrs inprisonment while billionsof naira is 5star treatment and celebrity status.smh, when will this country change?
Thank you Linda for this story it is so sad four yrs of her life wasted just like that pls pple lets spread this till it get to the ears of the authority concerned
This is the first time I will comment on Linda's blog cos am moved to tears... where is our Keyamo of this world, what are the baby lawyers looking fame doing..... please take on this case .. and set are free... it is really pathetic ...
sadly there r so many ppl in this same situation. may God deliver us
What ll it take for us to change this country? Can we all start demanding and initiating change in our varius areas of influence? I believe we have policemen and lawyers reading this, you guys are in a better position to fight this out. I am a clergy, and I can't stop holding the church responsible for how low we have sink as a country. Imagine telling a lie to jail an innocent 16yrs old girl without trial, and he or she goes to church or mosque. Linda please help us follow this case. May God help us all
Too sad to really comment. I sha hope they didnt abuse her while she was there oo.
this people are satanists. how on earth can a human being be this wicked. As per this so called IPO and the man that claim his stone was stolen. it will neva be well with them. peace and joy will depart from them for the rest of their lives
What the hell!
When will Nigeria change for better?!
Keep me inform when you sees her Ms. Linda. dauda.dave@yahoo.com
wow! a 16years old in a maximum prison? smh
linda thank you for bringing this story. is there anything that you can do i.e contacting the state governor where she is jailed, or even the inspector general of police??? he did have his numbers on facebook as this is really hideous for years in prison because of 10K naira ahhh linda please i beg you as a woman do sometin for this girl. please use your kindness to help here because this is really really bad...
i know that fashola and amachie are 2 people i know would help
QF
wecom to naija wher anyfin goes...poor girl say ur prayers it jst myt help
The Nig police must be 'seen' to be working or as working and the only way to do that is by punishing harmless citizens who cant even defend themselves-moneywise or even with weapons. They have rewritten people and family stories with their corrupt greed-ridden lives. Leaving the 'elite' bigger senators,govs,pension tifs roaming free. God Dey
Nigeria is a failed country!!! When the likes of Ibori, Gbenga Daniel, Dimeji dem could not be prosecuted by the so called EFCC and the police. This innocent girl has been in prison for 4 years without proper legal process... Kai 9ja ti tan!!! Human Rights= Zero!!! Legal System = Zero, The police officer that arrested this girl, should have been wacked!!! God save thee ooo..Nigeria my darling County!!
IPO KI IPO KO, GOD WILL VISIT THAT IPO AND THE MAN IN QUESTION, OHHH POOR GAL, SO SORRY DONT WORRY IT,S WELL OK? LINDA PLACE MAKE SURE THE NAME OF THAT SO CALLED IPO AND THE PICTURE IS OUT AS WELL LETS SEE HIM PLSSSS..
LINDFA SOME OF US ARE INTRESTED IN THIS CASE PLS KEEP US POSTED.
Linda Ikeji, thank you very much for posting this story..u generate a lot of traffic here and I am sure a well meaning Nigerian has already taken up the case.
God bless you very good and also bless the people who will help put a smile on this young ladies face again. God bless you all.
Adaeze O.
Certain stories indeed make you shudder.Truth be told,there is nooo justice in Nigeria.One should only pray each day that we never got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
On my last viit to Okere prisons in warri delta state,what i saw there was soo heart wrenching,It took me almost a week to shake off the feeling of abject depression that had taken hold of me.
Life in Prison,is hell.It is not a condtion or a place that one would wish even on their worst enemy.And like someone rightly pointed out,our prison stenches primarily of those who do not even know how or why they are in prison in the first place.
As I read this story,an incident flashes thru my mind.A friend of mine was involved in a similar situation.He stepped out one evening to go and get fuel,when he hadnt returned home after a couple of hours,everyone became worried.after a couple more hours,we got a phone call saying that the owner of the phone was in police custody,in a police station far from the area we lived.When we got to the police station,like play like play ooh...lo and behold,see our friend and some others already stripped and on the floor,with guns placed in front of them,saying that they were kidnappers.Ha!I was stunned!d way these police ppl lied dat day eeh!They had already brought out camera and video recorder ooh,omo!Luckily,we had some money on us,and after plenty plenty talking,crying and begging,we were able to bail our friend out.The other boys,were not soo lucky.I'm pretty sure,some of them must have wound up in prison by now.
I fear police ppl oooh!After God and my husband,i dread these police ppl.D way white turns to black in their mouth eeeh!Its only GOd that can deliver us from wickedness.
the case of the prosecutor can be taken up if necessary at least as a lesson to the heartless fellow
@I am no sender....first of all the what the girl needs is a lawyer. Now a good lawyer can decide to open a trustfund for the girl, with the girl being made aware of the trustfund.
LIB readers can now make a donation for the girl...
She needs to be on bail, discharged and actually Acquitted. (the case of the prosecutor can be taken up if necessary at least as a lesson to the heartless fellow)
The money donated for her can be engineered into paying her school fees so she can go to school...such a person, may end up studying law to help pple like her...#ok, am dreaming now:)
All in all, the first thing she needs in this condition is a humanitarian lawyer...trust me..some Nigerians are still kind hearted and the story was made open because God has remembered this girl.
Adaeze.
please whoeva can help in any little way should pls do........like someone pointed,only God knows how many of those men have had sex with her in the name of helping her solve her issue.
meanwhile she is 1 out of every 20 cases that have been in police custody for years. most of the youngmen who sell gala n st5uffs in traffic have and are still in those jails till date. they are accused unjustly for not making returns despite not being able to sell their produce and the illiterate police are called in to arrest dem and thats the end of the story......sometimes wen the cells are conjested, they are hand picked and taken somewhere and shot dead and their body are presented as highway robbers.
and you say the kids of this policemen come out fine? no they wont. infact these police men will be alive and reap wat the sow.
younglady, one way of the other you will come out. God is hears ur cries, it is al not in vain......wat false accusation has done to many pips, it is difficult for dem to erase the stigma or experience they went thru.
@Diva Inc... Amen!!! insane.wat the gaga is going on with the state of security in this country? na wa o. 16years old! that man that made the arrest is shameless. God please visit him in d middle of the night. on our behalf. Amen!!!
too bad.i wonder wat she will b gowin through now God will come 2 ur rescue 1dai i bliv.
Nigeria needs God's divine intervention,just imagine this?
Toyin, u and Linda can reach me on amalanwa2k@yahoo.com. Lets see what we can do for the girl
This is a pitiful story, Linda. It is very unfortunate that the poor girl was a victim of justice, she was arrested and detained for "stealing" which she didn't do. Please, Linda, have u ever considered adding the feature of "follow up" comments?
people pls take it easy wit d GBAGAUNS!i knw dis is a srz issue buh d gbagauns here ain't easy*phewwww*(looool).....dis is a very sad story,Linda pls make sure u see 2 d end 2 dis,tnks 4 d good work.
Linda,i suggest that you contact the Ikeja or Lagos branch of the Nigerian Bar Association,the branches through some of their committes have ways of taking up such matters pro bono.
Linda, what is the update. Where is this girl noooowwwwww!!!!
Good wrk linda!God send u help in your time of need...yt som useless chatter boxes sitting on their fat arse at home wil say u r not a role-model?God punish their mouth wt chewing stick!SMH
Jeeeeeezzzzzz,wot a shame! Nigeria,Nigeriaaaaaaaaaa? Linda I visit ur blog often,laugh and cry @ people's comments and arguements but I 've never commented. Do me a favour,how can I reach you? This issue will be solved ASAP.
Thank God that she has been released now the worst case is whr is she gonna stay ? Kos u said she an orphan.this is so sad,d shameless bull that called 2claim his pone *ish 4em.linda keep up d good work u'r really trying God bless u abundatly....
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