When Glory Joseph walked into her classroom at Okouve Primary School, Oghede, on the morning of May 29, 2025, she did not expect anyone to notice the angry red mark around her neck. She had learned, over the years, to hide the pain. But that day, her teacher, Mrs. Osifo Okungbowa, saw more than just a child trying to sit still—she saw pain, trauma, and a silent cry for help.
Glory is just ten years old. Behind her timid smile is a story too horrifying for someone so young. On Sunday, May 25, she was alone at home in Uholor Barracks when her “big aunty” Mercy and Mercy’s daughters, Miracle and Vivian, attacked her. According to Glory, they tied a scarf around her neck and beat her in the stomach with a heavy mortar pestle. The assault ended only when her caregiver unexpectedly returned, forcing the attackers to flee.
But the abuse didn’t start that day—it had been going on for years.
In the small, trembling voice of a child who has seen too much, Glory told her teacher that this was not the first time she had been hurt. She recalled being forced to drink cement. She spoke of being stabbed. Each episode came with the same accusation: she was a witch. That was their excuse, their justification for cruelty no child should ever endure.
After the death of her mother, Glory went to live with her grandmother and an aunt named Blessing. What should have been a safe haven turned into a nightmare that no one seemed to notice—until now.
Moved by Glory’s story, Headmistress Mrs. Agbonile Glory acted without delay. She contacted the Evbotubu Police Station and the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA). With other school officials, she filed a formal report that would change the trajectory of Glory’s life.
The police responded swiftly. One of the accused, Miracle, was arrested and is now in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Benin City. But the other two—Mercy and Vivian—remain at large. Law enforcement continues its search while urging the public to help locate them.
The Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), under Chairman Hon. Omonzane Ebanehita Sonia, immediately stepped in. Working closely with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Gender Issues, they ensured Glory was moved to a secure shelter, where she is now receiving urgent medical care and psychological support.
At the heart of this rescue effort is Mrs. Osemwengie Isoken Betty, SUBEB’s Child Safeguarding and Protection Officer. She has been Glory’s fiercest advocate, ensuring every legal and emotional support is made available. “This is why we are here,” she said. “To make sure no child suffers in silence again.”
The school community has been shaken, but also inspired. “We will not stay silent when a child is in pain,” said Mrs. Agbonile. “Glory’s courage has reminded us why we must always pay attention.”
Chairman Sonia added: “This case is heartbreaking, but it also shows that the system can work when people care. No child should be made to feel unsafe—especially not in our schools.”
Glory is now safe. She is healing. Her story is one of resilience, of what happens when one voice—however small—is finally heard.
As investigations continue and the manhunt for the remaining suspects intensifies, the hope is that Glory’s case becomes a turning point. A wake-up call. Because somewhere out there, another child is suffering in silence, waiting for someone to see the scars they hide.
And maybe, just maybe, Glory’s story will help save them too.
