The girl hawking sachet water ran in pursuit of the bus, laying curses at the bus conductor, who had stretched out his hands and touched her breast before stealing one sachet from the plastic on her head.
Blessing, roughly 13 years old going by her looks, cried out as she pursued the commercial bus which was already gaining speed to avoid arrest by law enforcement agents who were checking for expired vehicle particulars.
Blessing lost both parents in a road traffic accident and has to stay with an aunt.
Scowling at the grinning conductor in jest of her predicament, she wondered how she would replace or pay the money for the sachets of water has lost to fraudulent individuals that day, seven in all.
The fear of receiving a beating from her aunt made her reconsider Musa, the sugarcane seller’s earlier proposed sex at least she is sure of N500 from him. The money will go a long way in defraying the shortage she has incurred after the day’s business.
Blessing, like so many vulnerable children vulnerable to sexual exploitation, trafficking, organ harvesting, forced labour and other criminal and harmful practices.