BY Vivian Chime
The Anambra police command has arrested one Ezeh Sunday for allegedly tying and locking up his 17-year-old step-daughter for a month without food.
NAN reports that officials of the Anambra ministry of women and social welfare and members of the vigilante group rescued the girl, following a tip-off by concerned residents of Nise where the incident happened.
According to Ify Obinabo, commissioner for women and social welfare, who spoke to journalists in Awka on Tuesday, the victim was admitted to the Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, for medical diagnosis and treatment.
“Due to the sensitivity of the case, the ministry collaborated with the local vigilante to rescue the girl and apprehended the accused before handing him over to the police,” she said.
“The girl sustained a lot of injuries in all parts of her body and as a result was billed for emergency surgery in the head.
“The surgery was successful and she is recuperating at the paediatrics ward of the teaching hospital.”
The commissioner said the case has been transferred to the police criminal investigation department, adding that the state has zero tolerance for any form of crime or abuse against children.
While narrating her ordeal, the victim said her father used a bamboo plan to hit her head.
“I cannot remember what I did wrong but my father told me I messed up the compound with my poo and that beating me and locking me up without food was my punishment,” she said.
“He used a bamboo plank to hit me on the head which was why I had a head injury. People around saw the way he was beating me and came to my rescue,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ezeh, the accused, said he was only punishing his daughter for her disobedience and for desecrating his compound with defecation, which was against his traditional belief.
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