Pharmacist Arrested in Ogun After Allegedly Selling Emergency Contraceptive to 13-Year-Old
A pharmacist in Akute, Ogun State, has been arrested for allegedly giving an emergency contraceptive, Postinor-2, to a 13-year-old girl, raising general concerns about adult responsibility, supervision and child welfare.
The girl’s mother is said to have found out the girl had picked up the emergency contraceptive from a pharmacy and wanted the pharmacist arrested, according to a report published Tuesday.
The report also said the mother confronted and humiliated the pharmacist, forcing her to take off her hijab, and locked the pharmacy and detained the pharmacist. The pharmacist was later reportedly released after paying ₦100,000 bail.
It is unclear why the medication was sold, whether the pharmacist knew the girl’s age and what information was given when the medication was purchased.
But the incident has also shed light on another issue of child protection: how a 13-year-old came to need emergency contraception without the adults in charge of her knowing.
A child’s use of emergency contraception at age 13 can signal situations that warrant further investigation of her well-being, such as issues related to sexual activity, peer pressure, coercion, exploitation or possible abuse.
It also asks whether the adults in the child’s life knew of changes in the child’s behaviour or circumstances and whether she had sufficient supervision, communication and support.
These questions alone are not sufficient to prove that the parent was negligent or that the pharmacist was wrong. They do, however, emphasize the importance of going beyond the arrest and finding out what happened to the child and why she was in that position.
Child’s welfare is the primary focus. Any investigation should thus aim to determine how she came into contact with the medication, whether she was exposed to harm or exploitation, and what support might be needed to ensure her safety in the future.
At the time of writing, more official information regarding the reported arrest or investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child was not available.
