Teenager rescued from ritualist den blames stepfather

The Honourable Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Anambra State, Mrs Ify Obinabo has rescued a 17-year-old girl from her father who wanted to use her for ritual purposes.

The teenager who hails from Nise town in the Awka South Local Government area of the state is said to be the stepdaughter of the suspect, one Mr Sunday Ezeh, a traditionalist and an alleged ritualist.

The commissioner, who brought the victim to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka, for treatment said she was informed about the incident by some indigenes of the Nise community.

According to her, due to the sensitive nature of the case, her office had to collaborate with local vigilantes in apprehending the offender before handing him over to the police.

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She also stated that the state government has zero tolerance for any form of crime, noting that anyone caught committing one, must be severely dealt with. Hon Obinabo also warned everyone to desist from any form of harmful traditional practices against girls, children and women.

Narrating her ideal, the 17-year-old victim said, she was bounded hands and feet and locked up in a room for one month without food. According to her, she couldn’t remember her offence but was told by the suspect that she messes up the compound with her faeces.

She also stated that she was beaten mercilessly and treated inhumanely by her father as her punishment.

The girl also noted that Ezeh had used a Bamboo plank to hit her on the head but for the early intervention of people around, she was saved and brought to the hospital.

She said she sustained a lot of injuries in all parts of her body and as a result went for emergency head surgery. It was learnt that the surgery was successful and she is recuperating at the pediatric ward in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka.

The suspect, Sunday Ezeh, said that he merely punished his disobedient daughter for desecrating his compound with faeces which is against his traditional belief and practice.

He however pleaded for pardon during arrest but was handed over to the police. The case has been transferred to the Anambra State Police Criminal Investigative Department and will be charged to court.

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