A stepmother and her husband have been arrested by the operatives of the Imo State Police Command for allegedly chaining three children in an uncompleted security post in their house in Imo State.
The couple, 30-year-old Chimezie Nwosu and his 26-year-old wife, Victoria Nwosu, were arrested around the World Bank area in Owerri, Imo state.
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According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Michael Abattam, who disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri, yesterday, Kelechi and two other children were rescued by the police after the matter was reported to it by a good Nigerian.
He that said based on the information, the police stormed the area. “On arrival, the police operatives went into the identified house where they found a malnourished child, later identified as Kelechi Nwosu, age seven years, in an uncompleted security post, his two legs chained and locked with two padlocks.
“The child was immediately rescued alongside two other children, Destiny Nwosu, 11 years, and Chinemerie Nwosu, 9 years all looking unkempt. He added: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the child was chained by his stepmother, Mrs. Victoria Nwosu, 26 years
“The father of the three children, Mr. Chimezie Nwosu, 30 years seeing his wife maltreating the child never showed concern or cautioned his wife. It was also discovered that the three rescued children were left by Mr. Victor Nwosu’s estranged wife.
“On rescuing the children, the police operatives immediately rushed them to a nearby government hospital where they were treated and discharged. “However, they were later handed over to a government-recognised orphanage where they will be well taken care of pending when their mother is located.
“Meanwhile, the two suspects; the stepmother and the husband are presently in police custody undergoing interrogation and will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”
Recalled that all forms of child abuse have been ascribed as crimes against children and, ultimately, humanity and can affect children in both the short and long term. The victimisation of children in domestic violence situations may be vicarious or direct. Direct victimisation, on its part, involves intentionally targeting and maltreating the children.
The UN Study on Violence against Children urges States to: “prohibit all forms of violence against children, in all settings, including all corporal punishment, harmful traditional practices, such as early and forced marriages, female genital mutilation and so-called honour crimes, sexual violence, and torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as required by international treaties, including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Convention on the Rights of the Child