For the second time in one week, Ogun State police Command on Friday rescued another 10-year-old girl, Promise Udeh, allegedly chained for stealing the sum of N4,000.
Udeh was said to have been chained to a burglary proof by her aunt, Chiamaka Okafor, in an uncompleted building in the Adigbe area of the state.
Udeh was rescued by the police following a tip-off by members of the public. The 10-year-old victim has also been taken to the Stella Obasanjo Children’s Home in Abeokuta, by the police.
It would be recalled that similar incident occurred barely a week after a 9-year-old boy, Korede Taiwo, who was chained for over a month by his father in Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state for stealing as well.
Meanwhile, Chiamaka was said to have taken to her heels while the police made efforts to rescue the young girl from bondage. But her husband, Sunday Okafor, was arrested and is currently being detained.
While confirming the incident, Acting State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed that the state Commissioner for Police, Ilyasu Ahmed, had ordered the arrest of the victim’s aunt, who is currently on the run.
He said:
“The girl was rescued by the police and upon interrogation, the girl told us that it was her aunt who tied her on the allegation that she stole a sum of N4,000.
“The aunt is on the run, while her husband, who is an accomplice, has been arrested and he is helping us in our investigation.
“The CP, IIiyasu Ahmed, has ordered a serious manhunt for the fleeing aunt with a view of bringing her to justice, so as to serve as deterrent to others.
“The matter is under investigation. The Police are after the woman by name Chiamaka Okafor. Her husband, one Sunday Okafor, is in our custody. As soon as we complete the investigation, they will be charged to court.”
He, therefore, said that the state police boss, who expressed sadness over the incident, had warned residents of the state to avoid such inhuman treatment of children.
“The CP is not happy with the situation, barely a week after one Korede Taiwo was rescued from similar situation. I don’t know why people are being wicked to their own blood relation.
“It is quite appalling; so, because of that the CP has warned residents of the state that the Command will no longer tolerate this type of man’s inhumanity to man, and that anybody caught in this kind of act, is going to be dealt with,” Oyeyemi said.
