A 13-year-old girl, Favour Nuhu, has been rescued in Imo State after her guardian allegedly disfigured her right eye. The minor, who hails from Kaduna State, was rescued by Stand For Humanity Foundation, a human rights organization operating in the state.
Chidiebube Okeoma, founder of the organization, revealed that the girl has been admitted to the State University Medical Centre in Owerri for urgent medical attention. According to preliminary medical investigations, the minor has completely lost vision in her right eye.
Details of the Abuse
During police investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri, the victim reported that her 30-year-old guardian, Mrs. Joyce Onyinye, used a laptop cord to inflict the injury on her eye. The foundation became aware of the situation through concerned neighbors who had spoken with the girl.
"The minor revealed to them that her madam was dehumanizing her and had inflicted injury on one of her eyes. Out of fear, she begged her interviewers not to tell her madam so that she wouldn't receive more beatings," Okeoma explained.
Upon receiving this information, the foundation reported the matter to the State Police Command headquarters in Owerri. When police officers accompanied foundation members to Green Health Estate at Ohii in Owerri where the minor lived with her guardian, they were informed that both had already left the premises.
Police Intervention and Medical Care
The foundation and police later found both the guardian and the victim at the police command headquarters. During questioning, the minor reiterated that her guardian had inflicted the injury on her eye.
While Mrs. Onyinye admitted to flogging the girl in her confessional statement, she denied that the flogging was responsible for damaging the girl's right eye. The police ordered that the minor be taken to a hospital for treatment.
"We took her to the State Health Insurance Agency where we enrolled her into the free Healthcare Insurance Agency scheme for vulnerable children," Okeoma said. "The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr. Uche Ewelike, gave express approval considering the girl's condition and referred her to the State University Medical Centre in Owerri for admission and Camel Eye clinic at Tetlow for eye examination."
The guardian was granted administrative bail because she is a nursing mother but was instructed to remain available whenever needed by the police.
Call Against Child Abuse
Okeoma used the opportunity to advise against child battering and dehumanization. "If you can no longer tolerate a child's excesses, please take him or her back to their parents. You have no right to batter any child, not even the one you gave birth to," he emphasized.
"We will keep fighting child battering until we completely win it. No child deserves to be dehumanized. Not even their background status will warrant anybody to batter them," the human rights advocate added.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of child abuse in Nigeria, particularly among minors living with guardians rather than their biological parents.
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