Weeks after the rescue of a 10-year-old boy in Anambra State, another young child has paid the supreme price. The incident, which occurred in the same Anambra State, has attracted outrage from many Nigerians.
A video shared online by Uche Nworah, Ph.D., showed a woman, believed to be the deceased’s madam, narrating how she died. She admitted to beating her and then dumping the body in the bush when she died.
“Ifechukwu Udogu, I beat her. After beating her, she started having convulsions. I then took her to Kings, and she died, so I dumped her body here,” the yet-to-be-identified woman admitted in the video. Meanwhile, Dr Nworah, in the video he shared, advised parents to exercise utmost caution before handing over their child to anyone for domestic work.
He also demanded justice for the victim, tasking law enforcement agencies to ensure that the woman was brought to book. Nworah wrote: “Viral video indicates that a housemaid, Ifechukwu Udogu, was allegedly beaten to death by her Madam (whose identity is yet to be confirmed) and her body abandoned in a bush in Anambra State.
“This is a horrifying and deeply disturbing tragedy. Parents and guardians must exercise great caution when entrusting their children to others for domestic work or care. Every child deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Sadly, there have been too many cases of abuse and neglect of domestic workers, especially young housemaids, and this disturbing trend must be confronted.
“I hope the security agencies carry out a thorough investigation, identify those responsible, and ensure that justice is served in accordance with the law. This is also a call to media organizations in Anambra and across Nigeria to intensify public enlightenment and value re-orientation campaigns on child protection, human dignity, and responsible caregiving.
“Relevant government ministries and agencies, particularly those responsible for Women Affairs, Children, Information, and Social Welfare, should strengthen advocacy and public education to help prevent such tragic incidents. Enough is enough. These children and housemaids deserve protection.”
