Justice
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Lagos, May 8, 2018 (NAN) The Women Arise for Change initiative, an NGO, says it will partner with the Nigeria Telecommunication Commission and other telecommunication companies in the country to have toll free lines for complaints of domestic violence.
According to it, the move will allow victims of domestic violence to freely call for help without paying.
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, the President of the NGO, made the disclosure at a rally held in Yaba to demand justice for the murder of Zainab Alizee and her daughter, Petra.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased and her daughter were allegedly killed by her husband, Peter Nielson, a Danish based in Nigeria, on April 5 at Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to Okei-Odumakin, killings of women and children are heinous and have become a reoccurring decimal which must be put to an end.
“We will like to use this medium to say that our campaign against domestic violence will be pursued with renewed vigor in order to stop this menace that is consuming our families.
“We will be working with the Nigeria Telecommunication Commission and telecommunication companies in Nigeria to facilitate the provision of a toll free number for domestic violence.
“This is so that we can help save lives and prevent further tragedies.
“We will also work with all stakeholders to develop a framework as well as engage the public and private sector to step up the campaign for domestic tranquility,’’ she said.
Okei-Odumakin advised women to know that marriage was not a “do-or die’’ affair and urged families not to use culture to keep their children in turbulent and abusive marriages.
The rights activist called on members of the public to always be their brothers and sisters’ keeper, to be on the lookout and kill the culture of silence and hypocrisy.
Okei-Odumakin said that her group would ensure that the alleged murderer of Alizee and her daughter would not get preferential treatment in the prison.
She prayed the court to deliver swift judgment as she was confident that the court, which is the hope of the common man, would not play down the case.
Mr Chris Madaki, the father of the deceased, said that all he wanted for his daughter was for justice to be served.
“I had four children; Zainab was my first daughter and now she has been killed.
“I want justice for her,’’ Madaki said.
NAN reports that the rally had participants chanting solidarity songs of: “We want justice for Zianab and Petra’’.
They also carried placards with various inscriptions including “Speak up, seek help before it is too late’; “37-year-old wife slaughtered by Danish Citizen pretending to be husband’’;
Others are: “Four-year-old poisoned by Danish Citizen pretending to be Dad’’; and “Wedlock is not Padlock’’. (NAN)
LED/VIV/GY
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Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Grace Yussuf