Several housemaids employed to assist with household chores have increasingly posed significant risks to their employers. Reports of maids physically and sexually abusing children, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have become alarmingly common. GODFREY GEORGE investigates this troubling trend, uncovering the underlying causes and the impact on families
“Why would you urinate in my teacup? Is there no toilet in your room? Why are you this wicked?” thundered Aisha’s madam, her voice quivering with anger and disbelief.
The scene, captured in a viral video that trended on July 7, 2024, showed a woman in Abuja confronting her young housemaid after discovering the shocking act.
The maid, a girl in her teens, 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 placed the mug back on the rack.
The CCTV footage didn’t end there. On another occasion, the maid was seen sneaking into the kitchen, stuffing various food items—milk, salt, rice, spaghetti, and more—into a black bag, which she then hid under a table.
The video further revealed her opening the fridge, using her bare hands to eat stored food directly from the plates, and then returning the remnants to the fridge.
After each act, she would wipe her hands on her dress and proceed with her duties as if nothing had happened.
When confronted by her madam, the maid broke down in tears, pleading desperately for forgiveness.
“Please, forgive me. I beg you in Allah’s name. I won’t do it again. Please, forgive me,” she sobbed, her voice trembling.
The madam, her patience and trust shattered, remained resolute.
“You will be taken to the police station,” she declared, her voice firm despite the emotional turmoil evident on her face.
The incident, highlighted by the raw footage and the emotional confrontation, underscores the complex dynamics and the breach of trust that can occur between employers and their domestic staff.
Reacting to the video, a Nairaland user, Point Zerom, said, “The worst people to keep in your home are strangers called maids.
“You can never satisfy them, even if you punish her together with your own children, she’ll view her punishment as hatred and wickedness towards her.
“The moment you finally send her home, you’ll be shocked at what she’ll tell people that you did to her, including raping or trying to rape her.”
Another user, Omo Awoke, said it did not seem like the maid in the video meant any harm.
“She is just lazy and dirty. She used the mug to urinate, emptied it in the sink, and washed it. But seriously, some people in third-world countries are a disaster to humanity.
“Humanity does not deserve poverty, as poverty causes oppression and human rights to be trampled upon. I imagine who you would be in the United States/United Kingdom/Canada to hire a full-time housemaid.
“If you can afford one, she will be well-paid and will know her rights. You can’t oppress anybody cheaply like that, no matter who you are.
“She’s your staff, and if she does something wrong, the best thing to do is to call the police to settle the matter, not harass her. I hope Africa will work someday and poverty and illiteracy will end.”
Another user, Elevation D, speaking, noted that the young maid was lazy and dirty.
“That was an act of laziness or dirtiness. If that was her own mug, would she urinate in it, wash it, and keep it as if nothing was wrong? Why not take her bath in the kitchen or poop inside the mug?
“She definitely knew what she was doing and thought she could get away with that irresponsible act. Thank God for CCTV. It has saved many families from the evil intentions of too many so-called housemaids. I do not understand the Hausa language, but the image was enough to form my opinion that the girl was purely wicked with such an act.
“Did you not notice that the cup was not washed with soap? She simply rinsed it with water and placed it on the table. She deserved to be first beaten and then returned to wherever she was brought from.”
He further wrote, “It’s a global issue, and families must remain vigilant. What started as urinating in a cup could have escalated to something far worse. John believed that people must pray to avoid accommodating such evil-minded individuals in their homes. Families must be cautious, aware, and proactive in protecting their loved ones from potential harm.”
A growing menace
In recent times, the role of housemaids in Nigerian homes has come under intense scrutiny due to a rising tide of alarming incidents.
Reports of maids physically and sexually abusing children, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have become disturbingly frequent.
This trend has not only instilled fear among families but also highlighted the critical need for stringent vetting and monitoring of domestic workers.
The headlines paint a grim picture: housemaids trusted to care for children and manage household chores have been implicated in heinous acts. These incidents reveal a dark side of domestic work that has long been overlooked.
The stories often begin with a desperate need for help. Families, burdened by work and other commitments, seek domestic workers to ease their load.
However, beneath the surface of this seemingly simple arrangement lies a complex web of deceit and danger. Maids, some with hidden grudges or sinister motives, infiltrate homes under the guise of assistance.
The twists in these tales often involve a sudden change in the maid’s behaviour, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Stealing without mercy
No one believed that 22-year-old Odiong Emmanuel was capable of theft.
He had been living with the Attonis since he was 16. He was originally employed to work as a fuel attendant at a fuel stand in the Bonny Island Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His family had come to drop him off with Mr Fidelis Attoni and his wife, Comfort, to ‘assist with housework’.
“We saw how things were going and decided that we should let him work as the chief attendant in my husband’s fuel stand. He was living with us. We gave him an en suite apartment in our home, but he eats from my kitchen.
“We placed him on a salary of N30, 000 and we still provided clothes for him and also sent money to his parents. What we never knew was that he was stealing from us,” Comfort told our correspondent.
A few years down the line, Mrs Comfort said she noticed that Odiong was becoming too defensive and didn’t want anyone to get into his room.
“We would ask him to wash the cars, but he wouldn’t do it. He started bringing women to our home and it was becoming really uncomfortable for my kids and me. I told my husband who was always away but he said I was overreacting. So, I let it be.
“In 2018, this boy brought a new phone to the living room to charge. We asked him who owned it; he said it was one of his friends who gave it to him. After our investigation, we found out the phone belonged to him. We dug further and found out he had rented a house in the area and had fully furnished the place with a TV, an air conditioner and a full sofa set. He also lodged two girls from the neighbourhood there. One was already pregnant for him as I learnt. Her mother had been searching for her for weeks not knowing she had gone to live with him in his new location.
“I didn’t know how to approach the matter. I just called my husband and told him. I also asked that he audited his account. What we found out will shock you. This guy used to make a daily contribution of N2000 in three places.
“His account statement showed he always sent N50,000 every week to a particular account number, believed to be that of a family member of his. This guy has been stealing from my husband and has started a building in his village. I cannot even believe it,” she said.
The woman said when Odiong was confronted; he first lied about it and was acting like the victim until her husband involved the police.
“The auditor we hired had given us all the documents that showed the wreckage he had done for more than the four years or so he lived with us.
“This boy just wanted to ruin my husband’s business. He would make N500,000 and he would write N50,000. The guy was a clear thief.
“My husband would be lamenting that the business was not making any profit and we were losing money every time. We never knew this boy was stealing from us daily and enriching himself,” she said.
“We involved the police who began an investigation, and the things we found out were heartbreaking. After some time, my husband said we should withdraw the case. We did and we called his people and sent him back to them.
“To date, I have not been able to get over it. My family decided that whoever was coming to work for us would stay in their own homes and come from there and we wouldn’t have any affiliation with them other than paying them their salaries.”
When our correspondent reached out to Odiong on Wednesday, he said he did not steal anything from the Attonis.
“Don’t listen to them. I didn’t steal from them. They expected me to look tattered because I was working for them. They are lying against me. They thought if they sacked me, I would be homeless. I am not homeless. I am fine and I will rise again,” he said.
Asked if he was into any daily saving scheme, he said, “That one is not their business. Bros, I didn’t do anything to those people. They were accusing me of sleeping with their daughter. I did not touch that girl.”
Our correspondent reached out to the Attonis to share Odiong’s reaction, stressing the issue of sexual intercourse with their daughter.
Mrs Attoni, responding angrily, said, “That boy wants us to send him to prison. If he dares us, we will send him to prison.”
Mrs Comfort said her husband enrolled Odiong in a sandwich programme with a college of education based in Enugu that ran a satellite programme in the area and was footing the bills.
According to her, he was in his third year, studying social studies education.
“We celebrate his birthday. We give him money for Christmas and send food and money to his family every month together with the salary we pay him. He enters my kitchen and dishes his own meals. He cooks what he wants. He sleeps in my children’s rooms. I treat him as my own son. How can he be that wicked to us?” she queried.
On Thursday, Odiong called back and asked this reporter to help beg the Attonis for forgiveness, saying that he did not do it all alone.
He mentioned some names which have been shared with the Attonis who have promised to take the matter up with the police and their lawyers.
Ran off with employer’s kids
In 2016, Mr Suliyat Azeez, a resident of Okokomaiko, Lagos, hired Grace as a home-help to assist with household chores and look after her two young children, six-year-old Kafaya and four-year-old Farouk.
Grace, who had recently started working for the Azeezs, perpetrated the abduction barely 24 hours into her employment.
The abduction unfolded when Grace, seemingly under the guise of buying food for the children, took Kafaya and Farouk out of the home of the Azeezs and did not return.
Upon discovering that her children were missing, Mrs Azeez promptly reported the incident to the police, triggering an immediate search and investigation.
The case quickly garnered significant public and media attention due to its shocking nature and the vulnerability of the abducted children.
It raised concerns and questions about Grace’s intentions and background, as well as the risks associated with employing domestic staff without thorough background checks or safeguards.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, launched a widespread search operation to locate Grace and safely recover Kafaya and Farouk.
Details regarding the eventual recovery of Kafaya and Farouk or the apprehension of Grace are not extensively documented in public records. However, the Nigeria Police found the children and arrested the perpetrator who said she was going to sell the children for a fee.
Kidnapped kids, used them for begging
In the same year, there was another unsettling case – Asmau’s. Asmau, a housemaid, exploited the trust of her employer, Hawau, to kidnap her two children, six-year-old Amina and seven-year-old Rukayya, from Ogun State and subjected them to a life of begging in Lagos.
Hawau had employed Asmau to help with household chores and care for her children, Amina and Rukayya.
Trusting her housemaid, Hawau sent the children with Asmau to their grandparents in Lagos, believing they would be safe and cared for.
However, Asmau had different intentions. Instead of taking the children to their grandparents, she took them to Lagos and used them to beg for alms on the streets.
The children, dressed in tattered clothes, were subjected to harsh conditions.
Asmau forced them to beg, and any resistance or display of emotion was met with beatings.
The young girls, Amina and Rukayya, endured unimaginable hardship as they navigated the dangerous streets of Lagos, far from the safety of their homes and the comfort of their families.
Hawau’s nightmare began when she learned that her children were not with their grandparents as expected.
Frantic and desperate, she reported the incident to the authorities, sparking a search for Asmau and the missing children.
The case drew significant attention, highlighting the perils faced by children who fall into the hands of unscrupulous individuals.
Law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations in Lagos collaborated to locate Amina and Rukayya.
The search efforts involved appeals to the public for information and a thorough investigation into the whereabouts of Asmau.
The community rallied together, driven by the hope of finding the innocent children and bringing them back to safety.
The rescue of Amina and Rukayya was a moment of relief and joy for their family and the community. However, the trauma they experienced left a lasting impact.
Nanny kidnaps three-year-old in FCT
In June 2023, in Abuja, a nanny who was said to have abducted her employer’s three-year-old son was arrested alongside her accomplices.
The nanny was said to have disappeared with the child in the Gwarimpa area of the FCT that weekend.
In an update on Thursday morning, July 13, the boy’s uncle, Jesse Dan Yusuf, confirmed that the suspected kidnappers have been arrested and the child rescued.
He wrote, “On Saturday, my three-year-old nephew was kidnapped by his nanny. The kidnappers called and threatened us to pay a ransom.
“We’ve been praying and trusting God. God showed up. My nephew is home, safe and sound and the perpetrators were caught too. Please, dance with me!”
Narrow escape
In another startling incident that unfolded in Ondo State, Mr Nasiru Akinlosotu, a 63-year-old former medicine store operator, narrowly escaped death by the grace of providence.
Mary Akinnifesi, a primary four pupil and the family’s housemaid had harboured a sinister plot against her master to kill him off over a dispute.
She decided to poison Akinlosotu’s meal with rat poison, an action that would have led to tragic consequences for his family.
The motive behind such a drastic measure from a young girl left both the victim’s family and the police baffled.
The trigger was a simple rebuke for spilling water in the living room the night before she was directed to prepare dinner by Sikirat, Akinlosotu’s wife.
Sikirat, a primary school teacher who also managed a shop after school hours, had no inkling of the brewing malice in their home.
Unaware of the grudge Mary held against her husband, she instructed the maid to prepare beans for dinner and serve them to Akinlosotu.
Sensing an opportunity for revenge, Mary allegedly decided to lace the meal with rat poison that had been purchased to deal with a rodent problem.
For two years, Mary had lived with the Akinlosotu family without displaying any malicious tendencies, making her sudden act all the more shocking.
That evening, Akinlosotu, weary and hungry, returned home and asked for his meal almost immediately.
The poisoned food was promptly served by Mary, and as he began to mix the beans, he noticed an unusual smell emanating from the dish. Despite this, he took a spoonful, only to spit it out immediately due to the awful taste.
Suspicious of the unusual odour and taste, Akinlosotu summoned Mary and questioned her about the meal.
Initially, she lied, claiming she had only added spices to enhance the aroma. Dissatisfied with her explanation, Akinlosotu pressed further, sensing something was amiss.
After much pressure, Mary confessed to her heinous act, admitting she had crushed rat poison into his portion of the food.
The revelation prompted Akinlosotu to raise the alarm, inviting neighbours to witness the shocking confession.
However, despite the gravity of the situation, Akinlosotu decided not to press charges against Mary.
Femi Joseph, the then-spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, confirmed that Mr Akinlosotu had formally applied to withdraw his complaint.
Beninoise cook poisons three, steals N51m
In March 2023, the Police at the Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos, arrested a cook from the Benin Republic, 35-year-old Amoussou Wilfred.
He was charged before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly administering poisonous substances into the food he prepared for his employer, 80-year-old Musibau Fashanu; his wife, Jumoke, and their three domestic servants which led them to fall into a coma for about five days.
As they battled for their lives, the cook was said to have used the opportunity to steal the couple’s properties worth N51m and fled.
The police alleged that Wilfred also poisoned the food he prepared for the security man, Friday Agoh; the house help, Theresa Odite, and the nanny, Margaret Dewene, which led them to also fall asleep during which the cook carted away his employer’s property such as five android phones valued at N1.9m; assorted gold jewellery, wrist watches, laptops and money all valued at N51m.
The police further alleged that when the complainants recovered from the coma, they reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos who swiftly directed his crack team to fish out the defendant.
The team swung into action and after days of intelligence gathering tracked the defendant to a hideout in Lagos and arrested him.
Wilfred was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, Lagos on a seven-count charge bordering on attempted murder and stealing.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Gbajumo Ayoku granted him N1m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Ayoku adjourned the case till 24 April 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he can perfect the bail conditions.
Killer maids
On October 31, 2023, the Niger State Police Command arrested 14-year-old Joy Afekafez, over the murder of Funmilola Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
Miss Afekafez was the housemaid of the slain lecturer.
The deceased was killed at her residence in the Gbaiko Area of Minna on Sunday.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Wasiu Abiodun, said the suspect was arrested on Monday at about 9 pm at a residence within the Gbeganu area of Minna for culpable homicide.
Mr Abiodun alleged that during interrogation, the suspect confessed that she worked as the deceased’s housemaid for about three weeks and she was laid off for an undisclosed misdeed.
He further alleged that after the suspect was laid off, she met her classmates called Walex and Smart, narrated her ordeal to them and conspired to attack the lecturer at her residence.
“They went to the residence on Saturday at about 4 pm with a motorcycle and she surfaced at the gate, while the lecturer opened the gate for her.
“Walex and Smart later entered, beat the deceased, hit her head with a stool and stabbed her with a knife brought by Walex while Smart took another knife from the kitchen, and stabbed her ‘severally’.
“She said the deceased phone and laptop were taken away, while they also removed the battery of the vehicle parked in the compound and fled the scene,” Mr Abiodun said.
Mr Abiodun further explained that on Sunday some friends and Church members visited the deceased‘s residence in Gbaiko Area of Minna because she could not be reached on the phone.
Maid to face hangmen for killing ex-gov Igbinedion’s mother
In March 2023, an Edo State High court, hordered a maid, Dominion Okoro, to die by hanging for killing Madam Maria Oredola Igbinedion, mother of former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky 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 Community, Oredo Local Government Area of the state.
The trial Judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, who gave the verdict on Monday, held that the convict, after committing the act, also used cotton wool to stoke the nose of the deceased and thereafter, called a cab man to escape from the house early the following morning.
The convict confessed to the police that she bought Indian hemp, which she used in preparing meals for the deceased to weaken and kill her without a struggle, according to the court.
The judge, therefore, held that with the evidence of the pathologist on the cause of death, evidence of other prosecution witnesses in addition to the convict’s confessional statement, it was safe for the court to send the convict to the gallows.
In the case of Patience Okoro, elder sister of the convict in the case, the Court noted that the only evidence linking her with the case was that Dominion called her to inform her after committing the act.
Patience was, therefore, discharged and acquitted of the charge of the offence of accessory after murder, accordingly.
Look before you leap –Expert
A women and child rights advocate, Mercy Chepaka, has advised families to be wary of hiring strangers in the guise of maids in their homes.
She advised that reputable home-help agencies be used so as not to fall victim to thieves and abusers, lodging and perpetrating evil in their homes.
She said, “Several factors contribute to the potential dangers posed by housemaids. First, the lack of thorough background checks leaves employers vulnerable to hiring individuals with malicious intent.
“Economic desperation drives many to take up domestic work, sometimes resorting to extreme measures when faced with harsh treatment or unmet expectations.
“Additionally, the power dynamics in employer-maid relationships can breed resentment and lead to dangerous outcomes. It is always wise for every family who wants to hire the assistance of a maid to look well before they leap.”
A sociologist, Dr Olumide Adetunji, said there was a sociological dimension to the matter.
He said, “The sociological implications of these incidents are profound. Families are increasingly distrustful of hiring maids, leading to a rise in stress and burnout as parents struggle to manage without help.
“Children, who are often the primary victims, suffer long-term psychological trauma. Children subjected to abuse by trusted caregivers often experience deep-seated fear and anxiety, which can affect their development and mental health.
“The economic impact is equally significant. Families invest time and resources in training and integrating maids into their homes, only to face devastating losses when trust is betrayed. Medical and legal expenses arising from abuse cases add financial strain.
Furthermore, the broader economic consequences include a shrinking pool of trustworthy domestic workers, as fear and caution pervade the market.”
‘Vet maids to their teeth before hiring’
“If you must hire a maid, then you must vet them very well to be sure you know them to a large extent. Maids are maids. They are not family members. Treat them as employees and don’t fail to be on the lookout.
“Some of them can make you lose your guard and they will strike. You will never believe the extent they can go,” said Patience Hart, a laboratory scientist who owns a home-help agency based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Hart said no one should arbitrarily hire maids without making sure they are well-documented and have guarantors.
“Children are not maids. Your maids must be over 18 and they should come through an agency and a lawyer must also be involved,” she stressed.
Install CCTV– Security expert
A civil engineer who works with a satellite company in Benin City, Edo State, Mr Miracle Morgan, said every home with a maid must have an active CCT V stationed in the house.
“These maids can be so mischievous. You will never know who they truly are until you are not there with them. They will beat up your children, invite their friends, and even abuse your children.”
Chepaka further speaking said, “To mitigate these risks, families must exercise caution and due diligence when hiring domestic workers. Agencies that provide maids should be regulated and held accountable for thorough background screenings.
“Employers should also maintain open communication and establish clear boundaries and expectations.”
While housemaids play a vital role in many Nigerian homes, the rising tide of deadly incidents underscores the need for vigilance and reform.
By addressing the root causes and implementing rigorous safeguards, we can create safer environments for both families and domestic workers, restoring trust and security in this essential sector.
(Punch)
