A human rights Organization, Stand For Humanity Foundation has rescued 13- year- old Favour Nuhu, whose right eye was allegedly disfigured by her guardian, Mrs Joyce Onyinye.
The founder of the organization, Chidiebube Okeoma, disclosed that the girl has been admitted at Imo State University medical center in Owerri, the state capital, for holistic medical examination and care.
Okeoma, an activist journalist disclosed that preliminary investigation by doctors on Friday showed that the minor can’t see anything with the affected right eye.
He said that the 13- year- old Kaduna state indigene told the investigating police officers at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri that her 30 year- old guardian used a cord of a laptop to inflict the injury on her.
Okeoma, said ” we stumbled on a video going viral on social media on Friday wherein some concerned citizens who live in the same neighborhood with the minor was interviewing her. In the video the girl admitted that her madam was dehumanizing her and infact inflicted injury on one of her eyes but out fear the minor beckoned on her interviewers not to tell her madam so that she won’t beat her more.
“We reported the video on social media requesting anybody that would give us clue that will lead to her rescue to come forward. Luckily, people who live in the same estate with her reached out to us. We quickly went to the Imo State Police Command headquarters in Owerri and reported the matter. Policemen were assigned to us and we moved to Green Health estate at Ohii in Owerri but on our arrival we were told that the woman and the battered girl left before we arrived.
“We went back to the police command headquarters and saw the woman and the battered girl probably the woman got a wind of it from the inquiry we made on social media.
“The minor was interviewed by policemen and she reiterated that the injury was inflicted on her by her guardian. The woman made statement, admitted that she flogged her but refused to acknowledge that it was as a result of the flogging that damaged the girl’s right eye.
“Policemen issued us with a medical performer to take the minor to a hospital. We took her to Imo state Health Insurance Agency where we enrolled her into the state free Healthcare Insurance Agency scheme for vulnerable children. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Uche Ewelike gave an express approval considering the girl’s condition referred her to Imo State University medical center in Owerri for admission and Camel Eye clinic at Tetlow for eye examination.
“We took her to IMSU medical center where she is currently admitted. Stand For Humanity Foundation thanks Dr Uche Ewelike for approving the immediate enrollment of the vulnerable child into the scheme so that she will receive proper medical care.
“The woman was later granted administrative bail because she is a nursing mother. She is to be provided whenever she is needed. We at Stand For Humanity Foundation say no to child battering and dehumanization of any sort. If you can’t tolerate a child’s excesses please take him or her back to her parents. You have no right to batter any child not even the one you gave birth to.
“Our organization, Stand For Humanity Foundation, will press legal charges against the woman to further serve as a deterrent to others. We will keep fighting child battering until we completely win it. No child deserves to be dehumanized. Not even his or her background status will warrant anybody to batter them. We at Stand For Humanity Foundation will keep protecting vulnerable children in the society.”
