Earlier this year, the Commissioner of Environment in Ogun State, Abiodun Abdul-Balogun, was suspended by the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, over allegation of attempted rape leveled against the commissioner by one SS3 student in the state, Barakat Melojuekun.
According to the girl, on December 29, while she was waiting at the Idi Ade motorcycle taxi park in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area for a motorcycle to take her to the National Identity Management Commission registration centre the commissioner saw her while driving by.
She said Abdul-Balogun stopped and offered her a lift but she rejected the offer. She said she also turned down the commissioner’s offer for her phone number. Melojuekun said she left the commissioner but he later got her phone number from her friend who had been with her.
Later the same day, someone who identified himself as an aide to the commissioner called Melojuekun and said that his boss wanted to see her, the request that was rejected by the girl insisting that she was busy trying to register for the NIN. She also declined another invitation by the aide who called later that same night that the commissioner would love to host her in his residence the following day, December 30, 2020.
She said the commissioner eventually got her through her uncle who told her grandmother that someone needed a computer operator and told her to dress corporately so he could take her to the location. Her uncle, one Mr. Lasisi, then took her to the commissioner’s house and asked her to wait at the gate.
In her words she said, “My told my grandmother that someone needed a computer operator and asked me to dress corporately so he could take me there. He then took me to the commissioner’s house and asked me to wait at the gate. By the time I got inside, I saw someone who claimed to be the aide of the commissioner who had been calling me. He said I should follow him to where the computer was and I did.”
“Immediately the commissioner came into the room, his aide left and he locked the door and kept the key in his pocket. He asked for my school and class and I told him I am in SS3.
“The commissioner then asked if I was interested in any business and I said no. He asked if I have new year clothes and I said yes. He kept asking me what I needed and I told him nothing.
“He asked if I would collect a cash gift from him and I said I would. He then started pushing me onto the bed and pressing my breasts while chanting incantations. So I started shouting on top of my voice.”
She believed that commissioner was restrained by her scream that may get the attention of people in the house who came for political meeting.
“He jumped off me and brought out the key from his pocket. He offered me N2,000 but I rejected it. He locked the door again and threatened not to let me go until I collected the money. I collected it and he pushed me out of the room.”
She eventually reported the incident to her parent who in turn reported the case to police.
It is unfortunate that those who are supposed to be the custodians of our values and role models for the younger generation are the danger to the same younger generation through sexual molestation. We hope that the police would be thorough in its investigation and if found wanting, Abdul-Balogun must be made to face the law for his action.
Though, the Melojuekun family at a point withdrew the case from the police on the ground that there was a misconception concerning the allegation. However, some observers are of the view that the withdrawal might be as a result of a threat from the commissioner’ s camp while other say the allegation might be a set up to blackmail or tarnish the image of the commissioner.
Notwithstanding, we commend Governor Dapo Abiodun for promptly suspending the commissioner pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the allegation. The state government’s action shows that the government has zero tolerance for gender-based violence. It is important that the girl-child is protected from ravaging pedophiles.
