A teenage girl was at the weekend rescued from the home of her parents where she was locked with chains by the neck and limbs in Umuokoro Obinkita village, Arochukwu area of Abia State.

Her rescue followed the intervention of the Abia governor’s wife, Dr. Nkechi Ikpeazu, who is also chairman of the State Action Committee on Gender-based Violence.

Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) had following a tip-off from Mrs Ikpeazu’s Vicar Hope Foundation and Child Protection Network, effected the rescue.

Mr Chika Ojiegbe, Chief Press Secretary to Mrs Ikpeazu, said the girl named Ada, was rescued after 24 hours surveillance around their home by NSCDC operatives and thereafter taken custody of by the Vicar Home Foundation with a view to facilitating expert psychiatric evaluation to ascertain her condition before giving her necessary medical treatment.

Ojiegbe, who said the first lady decries any form of child abuse no matter the circumstance, stressed that there was no justified reason for the inhuman treatment meted on the girl by her mother, whom he stated, should rather have sought medical help for her daughter’s alleged poor mental health.

According to the girl’s mother, Blessing, who was arrested as the suspected perpetrator of the act, claimed her daughter had a mental challenge and that she had to chain her to prevent her from wandering.

Coordinator of the State Child Protection Network, Apostle Innocent Akomas, who collaborated in effecting the rescue of the girl, decried the attitude of the girl’s mother in dehumanising the young girl, and commended NSCDC for its quick prompt response when the Vicar Hope Foundation and the Child Protection Network called upon them.

The Public Relations Officer of the state NSCDC command, Mr. Ndukwe Agu, said the State Commandant, Dr Vincent Ogu, had already directed a thorough investigation of the incident. (The Guardian)

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