Ex-Students of Stephen Centre Cry out for Justice, Accuses Director of Sexual Violation and Dehumanization

Ex-Students of Stephen Centre Cry out for Justice, Accuses Director of Sexual Violation and Dehumanization

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, North-West, NIGERIA

Not less than 20 female students of Stephen Center International have been reported raped by the Director of the school Rev. Isaac Oluwole Newton Wusu who supposedly is expected to be the guardian of the children.

This ugly ordeal was made known to journalists by the National Coordinator, ‘Concerned Past Students of Stephens Children Home’ (COPASSTECH) Abeokuta Ogun State, Ado Nicodemus Baggibawa in a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat (NUJ) Waff Road, Kaduna.

The Concerned Past Students made up of Ex-students of Stephen Centre  trooped into the NUJ premises in their numbers demanding for justice on what they described as an act of dehumanization, molestation, and abuse being perpetrated against the students of the institution by the Director who they said have on different occasions used his financial influence to change the narrative.

“It is on record that over 20 female students had been sexually violated by the accused Director. Interestingly, some of them are here today and are willing to testify on the horrific ordeal they experienced in the center. The male students on the other hand were subjected to dehumanization and excruciating labor during the construction of some structures which were budgeted and paid for by foreign sponsors. You can imagine as little as we were; some of us were given some few slices of bread after a hard labor as a recompense for energy expended”.
Ado did not deny the fact that at the initial stage things were going normal at the school but later they began to notice some preferential treatment given to female students by the Director. He said.

“As time pass by, we all began to notice some changes and differences in the way we were being treated especially gender wise. The Director started taking undue advantages of the children especially the young teenage girls by luring and showering them with gifts in disguise of being a good friend which often led to harassment and abuse of some of them.
One of the victims stated that he put drugs in her drinks, only to wake up and discovered that she was stained with blood.

“Another have it that being like a father he sent her to prepare his bed, only for him to tip toed after her and held her by the waist and told her he wanted to have a taste of her. To this he promised to send money to her mother, brothers and sisters but because she refused to give in, he made her stay in the center a living hell.

“It is widely acclaimed and known among the students at the Centre that his victims call him names like Anaconda, kusa, Viju Milk etc”.
However, there was a certain time when report reached the foreign sponsors on the failing state and the dehumanizing practices that has eroded the center.

“ In 2012, some of those sponsors came to investigate the matter, however, the Director of the center uses the staff to intimidate the victims so as to exonerate and cover his evil practices as a remedy to the survival of the center.
“We on the other hand, started holding meetings in various states of the country after noticing some of these anomalies. We subsequently had to solicit for a way forward which has been totally misconstrued by many in the first instance.
“It is also worthy of note that we wanted to solve the issue amicably as a family. So, some of us “the alumni” met the Director with our discoveries and complains but he on the contrary is disseminating false impression that we are only but sponsored to cripple his so called achievements.

“ The director has been and is still using his influence, connections and spontaneous wealth to buy his way and change the narratives in his favor.

“Following our Press release in Ogun State on the 9th of January, 2018, Child Protection Network (CPN) Ogun State reported the case to the appropriate authority which was later taken to the court. It is so unfortunate that the case was never heard, no court appearance and no investigation was carried out, only to wake up one early morning and found a newspaper publication on “the Nation” that the case had been “stroke out”.

“This only leaves us with a profound question of “is there nothing fishy about this whole issue of a case been struck out?

“When contacted on phone, the Director of the center said that those accusing him were financially induced to blackmail him.

He denied all the allegations and pointed out that already the matter was in court, wondering why they were still taking the matter to the press.

“I want to draw our attention to the fact that we do not only speak and seek justice for ourselves, we speak and seek justice for the common man, woman and child in the street of Kaduna, Nigeria, Africa and the world at large who are constantly abused and harassed by the people who thought they can bend or buy the law at any point in time in their favor.

The situation at the center has become more precarious due to the obvious fact that most of the foreign sponsors of the center have stopped assisting since June, 2016. Ado informed.

Nicodemus calls on the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to set up monitoring machinery that would help check the activities of these institutions. By so doing would be in the picture of what goes on in such institutions.

This shocking revelation has been a great concern to parents of these children who see the provision of this institute as a blessing and big relief on their part as well as a hope for the future of their children. Stephens Center International (Stephens Children Home) is an arm of the Voice of the Christian Martyrs Nigeria, an affiliate of International Christian Association (ICA) established in the year 2000 with the aim of catering for the basic needs of children whom their parents were killed in the unfortunate religious crisis in parts of Nigeria.

The first set of children adopted by this center are said to be primarily from Kaduna state which explains why they form a larger population of the children at the center and are the greater number of those harassed.

Other children from the northern parts includes; those from plateau, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi, Bornu and Adamawa state.

Mrs. Monica Musa is a widow from Kano who lost her husband in the Kano unfortunate crisis of 2004. She is one of the concerned mothers who accompanied the children to NUJ Kaduna to seek redress.  Three of her children she said passed through the school.  In this brief interview with Zainab Tanimu, she opens up on the issue.

I am a widow. I lost my husband during the 2004 crisis in Kano. It was that time they came to carry the children to Stephen Center saying they want to help us. Na from that help, this thing kon dey happen oo. Who were the people that came to take the children?

Reverend father in our church came for the children. Not only me, we are more than 10 ten women from Kano state.

When your children were taken to the school were you happy?

I was happy say they help me now.

My son Malachi joined the school at the age of 12, Gerus joined when he was 8yrs and Rifkatu at the age of 7 when she was in primary two. She finished her primary and secondary school there 3yrs ago.

Rifkatu unfortunately was to be a victim. He wanted to use her but God helped her. She was the one her friend came and knocked on the door. That is why it was not possible. Hen en!

Earlier in her address, the President, Youth Pathfinder for Positive Growth (YP$PG), Hafsatu Garba Ibrahim drew the attention to Nigeria’s Child’s Right’s Law which seeks to prevent cruelty against children while stating the rights and obligations of the Nigerian child.

Afsatu said, “Nigeria protects the Child’s Rights by law. Not only does the law protect the child, it stipulates punishment for adults who take advantage of children or seek to negatively influence them.

The Nigerian children have rights to survival and development, Association and peaceful assembly, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, private and family life, freedom of movement, dignity of the child, Leisure, recreation and cultural activities, including Health and health services. She explained.

Parents she cautioned should always seek government approval before giving out their children to strangers while she called on government to do the needful as such act cannot be left unpunished.

“It is unlawful to have sexual intercourse with a child. Any person who commits this act of rape should be imprisoned for life with hard labor. The duty of the state is to protect children and investigate the plight of children who need special care and protection.

“YP$PG urges the government to revisit the bill that seeks permission of government before taking any child in the name of educating the child, be it religious knowledge (Almajiri, Christian studies) or western education. The President is fighting WAR Against Corruption and what is going on with these children is an act of corruption which the EFCC should also look into.

“ Youth Pathfinder for Positive Growth is calling on Kaduna state Government to see that, “this school is closed with immediate effect and schools with similar cases in all states of Nigeria “. She ended.

Signed on behalf of the Concerned Past Student of Stephens Children Home and School Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria. Altogether were  36 names.
Lazarus Istifanus (2000-2009) Senior Prefect (2007/2008 academic session)
Joshua David (2000-2010) Health Prefect (2008/2009 academic session) COPASSTECH Financial Secretary.
Benjamin Magaji (2001-2011)
Ado Nicodemus Baggibawa (2004-2010) SCI Jos office staff (2015-2017), SCH alumni Sec. Gen. (2014-till date) Senior Prefect (2009/2010 academic session) COPASSTECH National Coordinator.
Musa Malachi Maikaje (2004-2010) SCH Alumni Chairman (Kano Chapter 2013-till date) Labour Prefect (2009/2010 academic session) and Art class Prefect, COPASSTECH Kano Coordinator.
Gyang Moses (2004-2010) COPASSTECH Jos, Coordinator
Joseph Mathias (2004-2011). Health Prefect (2010/2011 academic session) SCH Alumni Chairman (Kaduna Chapter 2013-till date). COPASSTECH Kaduna Coordinator.
Jonathan Osu (2006-2009) Time Keeper (2008/2009 Academic Session)
Bawa Victor Hassan (2005-2011) COPASSTECH General Secretary
AyubaBala (2006-2011)
Bawa Jude Gambo (2005-2011)
Isah SamailaNitte (2006-2011)
Isah AyubaMolta (2006-2011)
Shinkut Isah (2004-2012) Senior Prefect (2011/2012 academics session)
Musa JerusMaikaje (2004-2012)
Tanko Abednego Ali (2006-2012)
Tanko Meshach Ali (2006-2012)
Maaji Zipporah (2006-2012)
Tanko Shedrack Ali (2006-201)
Mary John Kubai (2006-2012)
Bawa Benjamin Masoyi (2005-2013)
Benjamin Safiya (2006-2013)
Rayner Susan (2008-2011)
Emmanuel Dogo
Benjamin Blessing (2007-2014)
Samuel Lydia (2008-2013)
Musa Rifkatu Maikaje (2006-2015)