By NewsBits
A crowd of angry women from Awgu in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State have protested in Enugu the Enugu State capital the purported torture of 11 years old house helper, Miss Happiness Nwafor.
Miss Nwafor, who hails from Awgu Local Government Area of the State was allegedly brutalized with hot knife and electric ion by her guardian, Adachukwu Cukelu Okafor in Onitsha Anambra State.
NewsBits recalls that Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State had earlier announced that his administration has begun prosecution of the perpetrator. The incident happened in Akpaka, Onitsha in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State in January, less than one-week Adachukwu started living with the girl, Happiness.
The suspect was said to have used hot knife and electric iron to severe different parts of the little girl’s body, including her Virgina, an action that has continued to generate reactions and condemnation from various quarters after the photographs went viral on social media. Adachukwu, who is from Umoji, Anambra State allegedly committed the “barbaric act” over an allegation that the house helper “fumbled” with her eight-year-old daughter’s private part while bathing her.
However, the angry women who were clad in red T-shirts marched to the State Ministry of Child Gender and Social Affairs, Enugu Network Centre of the Nigerian Television Authority NTA, Enugu State House of Assembly, amongst others to register their protest.
They displayed various placards with inscriptions: “we demand justice for Happiness Nwafor”, enough of Child abuse”. “Umuada Awgu Progressive Association demands justice for Happiness, prison for Adachukwu the killer”
“Nigeria police force arrest Adachukwu now! Enugu state House of Assembly we need your action”, “Umuada Awgu Progressive Association has zero tolerance for abuse of our children.” Amongst others. Addressing the protesters, at the premises of her Ministry, the Child and Gender Affairs Commissioner, Hon. Mrs. Enih, who spoke through the Head of Departments, Child development in the Ministry, Mrs. Clementina Ugwu, accompanied by a Director in the office Mrs. Esther Mbah, thanked the women for the peaceful manner they carried out the protest. She assured them that the state government is fully determined in ensuring that justice is served in the matter, stressing that the present administration under Governor Mbah’s watch do not toy with issues concerning children.
According to the Commissioner, it is against the backdrop of the importance the state government attaches to issues relating to children that she and some of the Ministry Staff swiftly went to Anambra state the very day the matter was brought to the public domain with a view to getting first-hand information. She said that while in Anambra she had a fruitful discussion with her counterpart in the state. She also informed the Awgu protesting women that the Wife of Anambra state governor, Mrs. Soludo is head bent that justice is served in the matter
Addressing journalists during the protest, which commenced at about 8am at the Micheal Okpara square Enugu, Founder/ President, Umuada Awgu Progressive Association otherwise known as Umuada Awgu Global, Ambassador Chinemerem Anyi, who led the protest, said they are sad and heartbroken over the barbaric act meted on their little daughter by her madam.
She explained that they decided to stage the protest so as to register their displeasure over the inability of the police in Anambra State to arrest the woman over one week she committed the heinous act. Ambassador Anyi, who described the act as barbaric and perpetrator as a “wild beast and animal”, vowed that the group would not rest on its oars untill justice is served in the matter. She insisted that they are going to fight it with available legal means and last drop of their blood.
“So, we staged this peaceful protest to register our disenchantment that up till now, the killer woman, and human butcher, Adachukwu is yet to be arrested by the police in Anambra state,” she said.
While, thanking Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state and wife, Mrs. Nkechi Mbah, as well as state Commissioner for Child, Gender and Social Affairs Hon Ngozi Enih for their swift intervention in the matter, she urged them to intensify more efforts in ensuring that the perpetrator is brought to book.
Ambassador Anyi said: “I want to also crave the indulgence of Governor Mbah to prevail on security agents and the Anambra state government to do the needful on this matter. But the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Ify Obinabo, has since rescued the victim from the suspect, according to a statement by the commissioner’s media aide, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu.
She said the commissioner was notified of the incident by a human rights group, Defend Your Rights Foundation, on Thursday. Mrs Obinabo, who immediately took the victim to an undisclosed hospital, said the suspect was quoted by neighbours as boasting that “nothing will happen!” because she is a lawyer.
