Anambra Govt rescues teenage girl locked up, starved by stepfather for month

The Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare has rescued a 17-year-old girl from her father, Sunday Ezeh, who allegedly tied her hands and feet and locked her up for a month without food.

Mrs Ify Obinabo, Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, told journalists on Tuesday in Awka that the girl, who hails from Nise in Awka South Local Government Area, is the stepdaughter of the suspect.

Obinabo said the victim had been taken to Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for medical diagnosis and treatment.

According to her, the Ministry was tipped off by some indigenes of Nise that the suspect, Sunday Ezeh, a traditionalist, allegedly maltreated and locked up his stepdaughter.

“Due to the sensitivity of the case, the Ministry collaborated with the local vigilante to rescue the girl and apprehend the accused before handing him over to the police.

“The girl sustained a lot of injuries in all parts of her body and, as a result, was billed for emergency surgery in the head. The surgery was successful, and she is recuperating at the paediatric ward of the teaching hospital,” she said.

The commissioner stated that the state had zero tolerance for any form of crime or abuse against children, adding that offenders would be made to face the wrath of the law.

According to her, the case has been transferred to the Anambra State Police Criminal Investigative Department.

Narrating her ordeal, the victim said her stepfather tied her hands and feet and locked her in a room for one month without food.

“I cannot remember what I did wrong, but my father told me I messed up the compound with my excreta and that beating me and locking me up without food was my punishment.

“He used a bamboo plank to hit me on the head, which was why I had a head injury. People around saw the way he was beating me and came to my rescue,” she recounted.

Meanwhile, Ezeh, the accused, said he was only punishing his daughter for her disobedience and for desecrating his compound with defecation.

According to him, such acts were against his traditional belief and practices.