The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Tuesday that the couple was arrested on July 12, in Okwojo village in Ngwo community in Udi Local Government Area, LGA, of the state.
“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.
“He further warns parents/guardians to desist from maltreating their children/wards at slightest provocation, but instead exercise due caution while punishing them for acts of wrongdoing to avoid causing them bodily harms and/or lifetime physical and psychological trauma,’’ he said.
The spokesman said that preliminary investigations revealed that the couple were used to abusing and assaulting the child for little or no justifiable reasons by using dangerous objects on her.
According to him, these dangerous objects included- sticks, electric wires, heels of shoes and so on to mercilessly flog, hit and/or beat her up.
“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,’’ he said.
Ndukwe advised residents of the state to promptly report any person(s) found committing acts that impinge on the well-being and fundamental human rights of vulnerable children to the nearest police station.
“They are to call the command’s hotlines on: 08032003702, 08075390883, 08086671202 or 08098880172,’’ he said.
The police had on July 2, arrested one Mrs Ifeoma Ozougwu, 24 and her husband, Mr Jude Ozougwu, 40, for allegedly maltreating and causing grievous body harm to a 10-year-old house-help.
NAN