THE ENUGU State House of Assembly has urged the state government to offer scholarship to 11-year-old child, Miss Happiness Nwafor, who was abused and tortured by her guardian, Mrs Adachukwu Chukelu-Okafor.
The House also asked the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 13, AIG Godwin Aghaulor, to investigate the case of the abuse and torture.
This followed a motion presented on Tuesday in Enugu by the member representing Awgu South Constituency, Mr Anthony Nwankwo, tagged “Brutal Abuse And Torture Of A Minor, Miss Happiness Nwafor By Her Guardian, Mrs Adachukwu Chukelu-Okafor.”
Nwankwo expressed concern and displeasure over the brutal abuse, torture and severe bodily harm inflicted upon one of his constituents and a minor by her guardian.
“The culprit, Mrs Chukelu-Okafor, a self-acclaimed lawyer who ought to know better through concerted effort to propagate and promote the rights of a child as enshrined in child rights law and other conventions, was the perpetrator of this heinous crime against a vulnerable child.
“This woman used a red-hot knife to burn the face, buttocks, vagina and thighs of the girl, left in her care to protect.
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“Furthermore, she went about brandishing herself as a lawyer and saying that nothing will happen to her because she knows that Happiness is a minor and from a poor background and can not fight for her right.
“This is a crime against humanity, and such a severe act of violence against vulnerable members of the society are not only unacceptable but demands swift and decisive action as deterrent to forestall further occurrence.
“The rising cases of child abuse and torture is a painful development, adding that it is extremely hard to contemplate that a mother who passed through the travail of child bearing could possibly inflict such severe bodily harm on a child.
“To say the least, her actions are cruel, grievous, unfathomably, and it is at variance with the law.
“The promise of a better future by Chukelu-Okafor for Happiness has turned awry, not only has she been given a near permanent scar, she might live in regret for her entire life for going to live with the woman.
“This child’s personality, intellectual and social skill are still developing and traumatic experience like this can alter that development and cause an enduring and unexpected after effect,” the lawmaker said.
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Contributing to the motion, Mrs Obiajulu Ugwu, representing Enugu South Rural Constituency, said the action of Chukelu-Okafor and others had called for the full implementation of the Child Right Law in the state.
Ugwu suggested that the House should come up with preventative measures to avoid ugly repetition of the event.
Also, Mr Osita Eze, representing Oji River constituency, cautioned that the state government should critically look into the case of giving out minors to guardians, noting that there should be a form of documentation in that regard.
In his remark, the Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Uche Ugwu, condemned the abuse of the little Happiness Nwafor, saying the story of the abuse and torture is traumatising to him. Ugwu asked the state government to ensure that the girl is recalled and rehabilitated to enable her overcome the trauma of the sad event. (NAN)
