Police in Enugu have arrested a couple for allegedly causing grievous body harm on a 12-year-old girl.
Enugu police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Tuesday said the couple was arrested on July 12 in Okwojo village, Ngwo community in Udi Local Government Area of the state.
The statement read: “The Command wishes to inform the general public that it has arrested one Effiok Umo and his wife, Nnenna Umo, both of Okwojo village in Ngwo community, for allegedly abusing and assaulting their 12-years old daughter (name withheld), thereby inflicting her bodily harm.
“The arrest is sequel to information received by the Commissioner of Police Mr Ahmad Abdurrahman from National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office in Enugu.
“Consequently, the commissioner directed the Divisional Police Officer, 9th Mile Police Station, to ensure the suspects are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
“The commissioner, however, frowned at the unbecoming occurrence of acts of child abuse, assault and inflicting of grievous bodily harm on children.
“The state police boss has vowed to prosecute the suspects to serve as deterrent to parents/guardians, who intend or have been committing such inhuman acts that infringes upon the personality and fundamental human rights of children, especially susceptible ones.”
The spokesman said preliminary investigations revealed that the couple were used to assaulting the child with dangerous objects such as stick, electric wire and shoe heel.
“The height of it happened on July 10, at about 10:30 p.m. when the wife, who is the child’s stepmother, abused and assaulted her to the extent of inflicting her bodily harm on the excuse that she dozed-off while slicing onions required for food being prepared the said night.
“This led to neighbours, who have found their act of inhuman treatment of the child unbearable, reporting the matter to the police through the NHRC,” Ndukwe said.
