On Friday, the Nigeria Police paraded a lady lawyer, Mrs Adachukwu Okafor, who went underground after she allegedly used a hot iron and knife to cause devastating harm to the private part and face of her 10-year-old housemaid.
Speaking on her arrest, the National Coordinator for the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices, (POCACOV), CSP Olabisi Okuwobi, at the Force CID Garki Abuja, said that Mrs. Adachukwu Okafor reported herself to the police after the Federal Government placed a N2 million bounty on her.
She was alleged to have used a hot-pressing iron and knife to burn and chop the private parts of her housemaid.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, during the news conference in Abuja, said, “I kept quiet initially because I thought that by now it would have been solved by the state since they are aware of it. Due to the fact that it still hasn’t been solved, I decided to wade in.
“Some people will say, Why is the ministry always getting involved? Let me explain that it is within my purview to get involved in anything that involves women and children across Nigeria. I have every right to get involved in it,” she said.
The minister also revealed that the government would soon make a pronouncement on the issue of employing underage home helpers who are less than 18 years old to end cases of child abuse and violation.
According to her, there will be an enforcement programme to that end to be driven by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“Again, in a couple of days, there will be a pronouncement from this ministry on taking home help that is less than 18 years old. We are going to put a stop to it; there will be a pronouncement within a week and an endorsement programme for that action.
“And we will need the whistleblowers, who are Nigerians, to come and fight for your country, especially now. Come out and give information about anything that you feel will help this country,” she urged.
Speaking to journalists during the parade, Mrs Adachukwu Okafor denied using a hot-pressing iron and knife to burn and chop the private parts of her 10-year-old housemaid.
“When I wanted to flog her, she ran into the kitchen with her back and fell on the food I was cooking on the camp gas. It was the iron in the camp gas that burned her body. I didn’t use a pressing iron on her, Mrs. Okafor said.
CSP Olabisi Okuwobi said that she will be charged in court soon after the investigation.
