A number of housemaids employed to help with family chores have more and more posed vital dangers to their employers. Studies of maids bodily and sexually abusing kids, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have grow to be alarmingly widespread. GODFREY GEORGE investigates this troubling pattern, uncovering the underlying causes and the affect on households
“Why would you urinate in my teacup? Is there no bathroom in your room? Why are you this depraved?” thundered Aisha’s madam, her voice quivering with anger and disbelief.
The scene, captured in a viral video that trended on July 7, 2024, confirmed a girl in Abuja confronting her younger housemaid after discovering the stunning act.
The maid, a lady in her teenagers, had been caught on CCTV urinating into her madam’s teacup.
After performing the disgusting act, she nonchalantly poured the contents into the kitchen sink and positioned the mug again on the rack.
The CCTV footage didn’t finish there. On one other event, the maid was seen sneaking into the kitchen, stuffing numerous meals gadgets—milk, salt, rice, spaghetti, and extra—right into a black bag, which she then hid beneath a desk.
The video additional revealed her opening the fridge, utilizing her naked arms to eat saved meals instantly from the plates, after which returning the remnants to the fridge.
After every act, she would wipe her arms on her gown and proceed together with her duties as if nothing had occurred.
When confronted by her madam, the maid broke down in tears, pleading desperately for forgiveness.
“Please, forgive me. I encourage you in Allah’s identify. I gained’t do it once more. Please, forgive me,” she sobbed, her voice trembling.
The madam, her persistence and belief shattered, remained resolute.
“You may be taken to the police station,” she declared, her voice agency regardless of the emotional turmoil evident on her face.
The incident, highlighted by the uncooked footage and the emotional confrontation, underscores the complicated dynamics and the breach of belief that may happen between employers and their home workers.
Reacting to the video, a Nairaland person, Level Zerom, stated, “The worst individuals to maintain in your house are strangers referred to as maids.
“You’ll be able to by no means fulfill them, even for those who punish her along with your individual kids, she’ll view her punishment as hatred and wickedness in the direction of her.
“The second you lastly ship her residence, you’ll be shocked at what she’ll inform individuals that you just did to her, together with raping or making an attempt to rape her.”
One other person, Omo Awoke, stated it didn’t look like the maid within the video meant any hurt.
“She is simply lazy and soiled. She used the mug to urinate, emptied it within the sink, and washed it. However severely, some individuals in third-world international locations are a catastrophe to humanity.
“Humanity doesn’t deserve poverty, as poverty causes oppression and human rights to be trampled upon. I think about who you’d be in the USA/United Kingdom/Canada to rent a full-time housemaid.
“In case you can afford one, she can be well-paid and can know her rights. You’ll be able to’t oppress anyone cheaply like that, regardless of who you might be.
“She’s your workers, and if she does one thing unsuitable, the perfect factor to do is to name the police to settle the matter, not harass her. I hope Africa will work sometime and poverty and illiteracy will finish.”
One other person, Elevation D, talking, famous that the younger maid was lazy and soiled.
“That was an act of laziness or dirtiness. If that was her personal mug, would she urinate in it, wash it, and hold it as if nothing was unsuitable? Why not take her bathtub within the kitchen or poop contained in the mug?
“She undoubtedly knew what she was doing and thought she may get away with that irresponsible act. Thank God for CCTV. It has saved many households from the evil intentions of too many so-called housemaids. I don’t perceive the Hausa language, however the picture was sufficient to kind my opinion that the lady was purely depraved with such an act.
“Did you not discover that the cup was not washed with cleaning soap? She merely rinsed it with water and positioned it on the desk. She deserved to be first crushed after which returned to wherever she was introduced from.”
He additional wrote, “It’s a world challenge, and households should stay vigilant. What began as urinating in a cup may have escalated to one thing far worse. John believed that folks should pray to keep away from accommodating such evil-minded people of their properties. Households have to be cautious, conscious, and proactive in defending their family members from potential hurt.”
A rising menace
In latest instances, the position of housemaids in Nigerian properties has come beneath intense scrutiny because of a rising tide of alarming incidents.
Studies of maids bodily and sexually abusing kids, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have grow to be disturbingly frequent.
This pattern has not solely instilled concern amongst households but in addition highlighted the essential want for stringent vetting and monitoring of home employees.
The headlines paint a grim image: housemaids trusted to care for youngsters and handle family chores have been implicated in heinous acts. These incidents reveal a darkish facet of home work that has lengthy been missed.
The tales usually start with a determined want for assist. Households, burdened by work and different commitments, search home employees to ease their load.
Nonetheless, beneath the floor of this seemingly easy association lies a posh net of deceit and hazard. Maids, some with hidden grudges or sinister motives, infiltrate properties beneath the guise of help.
The twists in these tales usually contain a sudden change within the maid’s behaviour, resulting in catastrophic penalties.
Stealing with out mercy
Nobody believed that 22-year-old Odiong Emmanuel was able to theft.
He had been dwelling with the Attonis since he was 16. He was initially employed to work as a gasoline attendant at a gasoline stand within the Bonny Island Native Authorities Space of Rivers State.
His household had come to drop him off with Mr Fidelis Attoni and his spouse, Consolation, to ‘help with house responsibilities’.
“We noticed how issues have been going and determined that we should always let him work because the chief attendant in my husband’s gasoline stand. He was dwelling with us. We gave him an en suite condominium in our residence, however he eats from my kitchen.
“We positioned him on a wage of N30, 000 and we nonetheless offered garments for him and in addition despatched cash to his dad and mom. What we by no means knew was that he was stealing from us,” Consolation instructed our correspondent.
A couple of years down the road, Mrs Consolation stated she seen that Odiong was turning into too defensive and didn’t need anybody to get into his room.
“We’d ask him to scrub the vehicles, however he wouldn’t do it. He began bringing ladies to our residence and it was turning into actually uncomfortable for my children and me. I instructed my husband who was at all times away however he stated I used to be overreacting. So, I let it’s.
“In 2018, this boy introduced a brand new telephone to the lounge to cost. We requested him who owned it; he stated it was one in every of his associates who gave it to him. After our investigation, we came upon the telephone belonged to him. We dug additional and came upon he had rented a home within the space and had totally furnished the place with a TV, an air conditioner and a full couch set. He additionally lodged two women from the neighbourhood there. One was already pregnant for him as I learnt. Her mom had been trying to find her for weeks not realizing she had gone to stay with him in his new location.
“I didn’t know the best way to strategy the matter. I simply referred to as my husband and instructed him. I additionally requested that he audited his account. What we came upon will shock you. This man used to make a each day contribution of N2000 in three locations.
“His account assertion confirmed he at all times despatched N50,000 each week to a specific account quantity, believed to be that of a member of the family of his. This man has been stealing from my husband and has began a constructing in his village. I can not even consider it,” she stated.
The lady stated when Odiong was confronted; he first lied about it and was appearing just like the sufferer till her husband concerned the police.
“The auditor we employed had given us all of the paperwork that confirmed the wreckage he had performed for greater than the 4 years or so he lived with us.
“This boy simply wished to damage my husband’s enterprise. He would make N500,000 and he would write N50,000. The man was a transparent thief.
“My husband could be lamenting that the enterprise was not making any revenue and we have been shedding cash each time. We by no means knew this boy was stealing from us each day and enriching himself,” she stated.
“We concerned the police who started an investigation, and the issues we came upon have been heartbreaking. After a while, my husband stated we should always withdraw the case. We did and we referred to as his individuals and despatched him again to them.
“Thus far, I’ve not been capable of recover from it. My household determined that whoever was coming to work for us would keep in their very own properties and are available from there and we wouldn’t have any affiliation with them aside from paying them their salaries.”
When our correspondent reached out to Odiong on Wednesday, he stated he didn’t steal something from the Attonis.
“Don’t hearken to them. I didn’t steal from them. They anticipated me to look tattered as a result of I used to be working for them. They’re mendacity towards me. They thought in the event that they sacked me, I’d be homeless. I’m not homeless. I’m high quality and I’ll rise once more,” he stated.
Requested if he was into any each day saving scheme, he stated, “That one shouldn’t be their enterprise. Bros, I didn’t do something to these individuals. They have been accusing me of sleeping with their daughter. I didn’t contact that lady.”
Our correspondent reached out to the Attonis to share Odiong’s response, stressing the difficulty of sexual activity with their daughter.
Mrs Attoni, responding angrily, stated, “That boy needs us to ship him to jail. If he dares us, we are going to ship him to jail.”
Mrs Consolation stated her husband enrolled Odiong in a sandwich programme with a university of training primarily based in Enugu that ran a satellite tv for pc programme within the space and was footing the payments.
In line with her, he was in his third 12 months, finding out social research training.
“We have fun his birthday. We give him cash for Christmas and ship meals and cash to his household each month along with the wage we pay him. He enters my kitchen and dishes his personal meals. He cooks what he needs. He sleeps in my kids’s rooms. I deal with him as my very own son. How can he be that depraved to us?” she queried.
On Thursday, Odiong referred to as again and requested this reporter to assist beg the Attonis for forgiveness, saying that he didn’t do it on their own.
He talked about some names which have been shared with the Attonis who’ve promised to take the matter up with the police and their legal professionals.
Ran off with employer’s children
In 2016, Mr Suliyat Azeez, a resident of Okokomaiko, Lagos, employed Grace as a home-help to help with family chores and take care of her two younger kids, six-year-old Kafaya and four-year-old Farouk.
Grace, who had not too long ago began working for the Azeezs, perpetrated the kidnapping barely 24 hours into her employment.
The kidnapping unfolded when Grace, seemingly beneath the guise of shopping for meals for the kids, took Kafaya and Farouk out of the house of the Azeezs and didn’t return.
Upon discovering that her kids have been lacking, Mrs Azeez promptly reported the incident to the police, triggering a right away search and investigation.
The case rapidly garnered vital public and media consideration because of its stunning nature and the vulnerability of the kidnapped kids.
It raised issues and questions on Grace’s intentions and background, in addition to the dangers related to using home workers with out thorough background checks or safeguards.
Regulation enforcement companies, together with the Nigerian Police Drive, launched a widespread search operation to find Grace and safely get better Kafaya and Farouk.
Particulars relating to the eventual restoration of Kafaya and Farouk or the apprehension of Grace usually are not extensively documented in public data. Nonetheless, the Nigeria Police discovered the kids and arrested the perpetrator who stated she was going to promote the kids for a charge.
Kidnapped children, used them for begging
In the identical 12 months, there was one other unsettling case – Asmau’s. Asmau, a housemaid, exploited the belief of her employer, Hawau, to kidnap her two kids, six-year-old Amina and seven-year-old Rukayya, from Ogun State and subjected them to a lifetime of begging in Lagos.
Hawau had employed Asmau to assist with family chores and look after her kids, Amina and Rukayya.
Trusting her housemaid, Hawau despatched the kids with Asmau to their grandparents in Lagos, believing they might be secure and cared for.
Nonetheless, Asmau had totally different intentions. As an alternative of taking the kids to their grandparents, she took them to Lagos and used them to beg for alms on the streets.
The youngsters, wearing tattered garments, have been subjected to harsh circumstances.
Asmau pressured them to beg, and any resistance or show of emotion was met with beatings.
The younger women, Amina and Rukayya, endured unimaginable hardship as they navigated the damaging streets of Lagos, removed from the security of their properties and the consolation of their households.
Hawau’s nightmare started when she realized that her kids weren’t with their grandparents as anticipated.
Frantic and determined, she reported the incident to the authorities, sparking a seek for Asmau and the lacking kids.
The case drew vital consideration, highlighting the perils confronted by kids who fall into the arms of unscrupulous people.
Regulation enforcement companies and baby welfare organizations in Lagos collaborated to find Amina and Rukayya.
The search efforts concerned appeals to the general public for data and an intensive investigation into the whereabouts of Asmau.
The neighborhood rallied collectively, pushed by the hope of discovering the harmless kids and bringing them again to security.
The rescue of Amina and Rukayya was a second of reduction and pleasure for his or her household and the neighborhood. Nonetheless, the trauma they skilled left an enduring affect.
Nanny kidnaps three-year-old in FCT
In June 2023, in Abuja, a nanny who was stated to have kidnapped her employer’s three-year-old son was arrested alongside her accomplices.
The nanny was stated to have disappeared with the kid within the Gwarimpa space of the FCT that weekend.
In an replace on Thursday morning, July 13, the boy’s uncle, Jesse Dan Yusuf, confirmed that the suspected kidnappers have been arrested and the kid rescued.
He wrote, “On Saturday, my three-year-old nephew was kidnapped by his nanny. The abductors referred to as and threatened us to pay a ransom.
“We’ve been praying and trusting God. God confirmed up. My nephew is residence, secure and sound and the perpetrators have been caught too. Please, dance with me!”
Slender escape
In one other startling incident that unfolded in Ondo State, Mr Nasiru Akinlosotu, a 63-year-old former medication retailer operator, narrowly escaped demise by the grace of windfall.
Mary Akinnifesi, a main 4 pupil and the household’s housemaid had harboured a sinister plot towards her grasp to kill him off over a dispute.
She determined to poison Akinlosotu’s meal with rat poison, an motion that will have led to tragic penalties for his household.
The motive behind such a drastic measure from a younger lady left each the sufferer’s household and the police baffled.
The set off was a easy rebuke for spilling water in the lounge the night time earlier than she was directed to arrange dinner by Sikirat, Akinlosotu’s spouse.
Sikirat, a main faculty trainer who additionally managed a store after faculty hours, had no inkling of the brewing malice of their residence.
Unaware of the grudge Mary held towards her husband, she instructed the maid to arrange beans for dinner and serve them to Akinlosotu.
Sensing a possibility for revenge, Mary allegedly determined to lace the meal with rat poison that had been bought to cope with a rodent drawback.
For 2 years, Mary had lived with the Akinlosotu household with out displaying any malicious tendencies, making her sudden act all of the extra stunning.
That night, Akinlosotu, weary and hungry, returned residence and requested for his meal virtually instantly.
The poisoned meals was promptly served by Mary, and as he started to combine the beans, he seen an uncommon scent emanating from the dish. Regardless of this, he took a spoonful, solely to spit it out instantly because of the terrible style.
Suspicious of the weird odour and style, Akinlosotu summoned Mary and questioned her in regards to the meal.
Initially, she lied, claiming she had solely added spices to reinforce the aroma. Dissatisfied together with her rationalization, Akinlosotu pressed additional, sensing one thing was amiss.
After a lot strain, Mary confessed to her heinous act, admitting she had crushed rat poison into his portion of the meals.
The revelation prompted Akinlosotu to lift the alarm, inviting neighbours to witness the stunning confession.
Nonetheless, regardless of the gravity of the scenario, Akinlosotu determined to not press fees towards Mary.
Femi Joseph, the then-spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, confirmed that Mr Akinlosotu had formally utilized to withdraw his criticism.
Beninoise cook dinner poisons three, steals N51m
In March 2023, the Police on the Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos, arrested a cook dinner from the Benin Republic, 35-year-old Amoussou Wilfred.
He was charged earlier than a Lagos Magistrates’ Court docket for allegedly administering toxic substances into the meals he ready for his employer, 80-year-old Musibau Fashanu; his spouse, Jumoke, and their three home servants which led them to fall right into a coma for about 5 days.
As they battled for his or her lives, the cook dinner was stated to have used the chance to steal the couple’s properties value N51m and fled.
The police alleged that Wilfred additionally poisoned the meals he ready for the safety man, Friday Agoh; the home assist, Theresa Odite, and the nanny, Margaret Dewene, which led them to additionally go to sleep throughout which the cook dinner carted away his employer’s property resembling 5 android telephones valued at N1.9m; assorted gold jewelry, wrist watches, laptops and cash all valued at N51m.
The police additional alleged that when the complainants recovered from the coma, they reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in control of Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos who swiftly directed his crack crew to fish out the defendant.
The crew swung into motion and after days of intelligence gathering tracked the defendant to a hideout in Lagos and arrested him.
Wilfred was charged earlier than the Tinubu Justice of the Peace’s Court docket, Lagos Island, Lagos on a seven-count cost bordering on tried homicide and stealing.
The defendant, nevertheless, pleaded not responsible to the costs, and the Presiding Justice of the Peace, Mrs Gbajumo Ayoku granted him N1m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Ayoku adjourned the case until 24 April 2023 for point out and ordered that the defendant be detained on the Ikoyi correctional facility until he can good the bail circumstances.
Killer maids
On October 31, 2023, the Niger State Police Command arrested 14-year-old Pleasure Afekafez, over the homicide of Funmilola Adefolalu, a lecturer on the Federal College of Know-how, Minna.
Miss Afekafez was the housemaid of the slain lecturer.
The deceased was killed at her residence within the Gbaiko Space of Minna on Sunday.
A press release signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Wasiu Abiodun, stated the suspect was arrested on Monday at about 9 pm at a residence throughout the Gbeganu space of Minna for culpable murder.
Mr Abiodun alleged that in interrogation, the suspect confessed that she labored because the deceased’s housemaid for about three weeks and he or she was laid off for an undisclosed misdeed.
He additional alleged that after the suspect was laid off, she met her classmates referred to as Walex and Sensible, narrated her ordeal to them and conspired to assault the lecturer at her residence.
“They went to the residence on Saturday at about 4 pm with a motorbike and he or she surfaced on the gate, whereas the lecturer opened the gate for her.
“Walex and Sensible later entered, beat the deceased, hit her head with a stool and stabbed her with a knife introduced by Walex whereas Sensible took one other knife from the kitchen, and stabbed her ‘severally’.
“She stated the deceased telephone and laptop computer have been taken away, whereas in addition they eliminated the battery of the car parked within the compound and fled the scene,” Mr Abiodun stated.
Mr Abiodun additional defined that on Sunday some associates and Church members visited the deceased‘s residence in Gbaiko Space of Minna as a result of she couldn’t be reached on the telephone.
Maid to face hangmen for killing ex-gov Igbinedion’s mom
In March 2023, an Edo State Excessive court docket, hordered a maid, Dominion Okoro, to die by hanging for killing Madam Maria Oredola Igbinedion, mom of former Governor of Edo State, Chief Fortunate Igbinedion.
The 25-year-old convict murdered the deceased, who was her Madam with a stool with intent to rob her of the sum of N100,000 on December 1, 2021, at her residence in Ugbor Neighborhood, Oredo Native Authorities Space of the state.
The trial Choose, Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, who gave the decision on Monday, held that the convict, after committing the act, additionally used cotton wool to stoke the nostril of the deceased and thereafter, referred to as a cab man to flee from the home early the next morning.
The convict confessed to the police that she purchased Indian hemp, which she utilized in making ready meals for the deceased to weaken and kill her and not using a battle, in accordance with the court docket.
The choose, due to this fact, held that with the proof of the pathologist on the reason for demise, proof of different prosecution witnesses along with the convict’s confessional assertion, it was secure for the court docket to ship the convict to the gallows.
Within the case of Persistence Okoro, elder sister of the convict within the case, the Court docket famous that the one proof linking her with the case was that Dominion referred to as her to tell her after committing the act.
Persistence was, due to this fact, discharged and acquitted of the cost of the offence of accent after homicide, accordingly.
Look earlier than you leap –Knowledgeable
A ladies and baby rights advocate, Mercy Chepaka, has suggested households to be cautious of hiring strangers within the guise of maids of their properties.
She suggested that respected home-help companies be used in order to not fall sufferer to thieves and abusers, lodging and perpetrating evil of their properties.
She stated, “A number of components contribute to the potential risks posed by housemaids. First, the shortage of thorough background checks leaves employers susceptible to hiring people with malicious intent.
“Financial desperation drives many to take up home work, generally resorting to excessive measures when confronted with harsh therapy or unmet expectations.
“Moreover, the ability dynamics in employer-maid relationships can breed resentment and result in harmful outcomes. It’s at all times smart for each household who needs to rent the help of a maid to look effectively earlier than they leap.”
A sociologist, Dr Olumide Adetunji, stated there was a sociological dimension to the matter.
He stated, “The sociological implications of those incidents are profound. Households are more and more distrustful of hiring maids, resulting in an increase in stress and burnout as dad and mom battle to handle with out assist.
“Kids, who are sometimes the first victims, endure long-term psychological trauma. Kids subjected to abuse by trusted caregivers usually expertise deep-seated concern and anxiousness, which may have an effect on their improvement and psychological well being.
“The financial affect is equally vital. Households make investments time and assets in coaching and integrating maids into their properties, solely to face devastating losses when belief is betrayed. Medical and authorized bills arising from abuse circumstances add monetary pressure.
Moreover, the broader financial penalties embody a shrinking pool of reliable home employees, as concern and warning pervade the market.”
‘Vet maids to their enamel earlier than hiring’
“In case you should rent a maid, then you will need to vet them very effectively to make sure you understand them to a big extent. Maids are maids. They don’t seem to be members of the family. Deal with them as staff and don’t fail to be looking out.
“A few of them could make you lose your guard and they’re going to strike. You’ll by no means consider the extent they’ll go,” stated Persistence Hart, a laboratory scientist who owns a home-help company primarily based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Hart stated nobody ought to arbitrarily rent maids with out ensuring they’re well-documented and have guarantors.
“Kids usually are not maids. Your maids have to be over 18 and they need to come by way of an company and a lawyer should even be concerned,” she confused.
Set up CCTV– Safety professional
A civil engineer who works with a satellite tv for pc firm in Benin Metropolis, Edo State, Mr Miracle Morgan, stated each residence with a maid will need to have an lively CCT V stationed in the home.
“These maids might be so mischievous. You’ll by no means know who they honestly are till you aren’t there with them. They’ll beat up your kids, invite their associates, and even abuse your kids.”
Chepaka additional talking stated, “To mitigate these dangers, households should train warning and due diligence when hiring home employees. Companies that present maids ought to be regulated and held accountable for thorough background screenings.
“Employers must also preserve open communication and set up clear boundaries and expectations.”
Whereas housemaids play a significant position in lots of Nigerian properties, the rising tide of lethal incidents underscores the necessity for vigilance and reform.
By addressing the basis causes and implementing rigorous safeguards, we will create safer environments for each households and home employees, restoring belief and safety on this important sector.