A secondary school teacher in Imo State, Mrs. Blessing Emmanuel, has been arrested for severely abusing her 12-year-old stepdaughter, Amarachi Emmanuel, leaving the young girl hospitalised.
The shocking incident came to public attention when activist and journalist, Chidiebube Okeoma, reported the case to the police after two concerned women, Eunice and Amarachi, noticed the child’s battered condition while she was selling sachet water on the streets. Okeoma posted a video online that quickly went viral, showing the girl with deep bruises, scars, and cuts inflicted by a machete.
Following the viral outcry, Mrs. Emmanuel was apprehended by the police in Owerri on Tuesday. Okeoma confirmed the arrest and provided background information on the child’s distressing circumstances. “Amarachi Emmanuel, who lost her mother in 2018, has been living with her father and stepmother since 2019. The stepmother forces her and her two siblings to sell sachet water every day instead of attending school,” Okeoma revealed.
According to the child, the abuse escalated when she cooked and ate rice without her stepmother’s permission. “She beat me when she found out I had eaten,” Amarachi recounted.
Okeoma swiftly intervened, taking Amarachi to the Owerri Area Command, where the stepmother was arrested. He then rushed the girl to Umuguma General Hospital for treatment. “I couldn’t leave her in such a state. The abuse had gone too far, and I knew her life was in danger,” he explained.
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Involving several organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission and the Imo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Okeoma is calling for justice. “We cannot tolerate the brutal treatment of children in this century. The authorities must prosecute the abuser,” he stated firmly.
Numerous human rights groups, the Owerri branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, and other media outlets have expressed interest in the case, with many rallying for justice and the child’s well-being.
Okeoma also shared plans to ensure a better future for Amarachi and her siblings, including enrolling them in school and securing better living conditions once they recover. “Right now, they live in a shanty. After their recovery, they deserve a safe and decent place to live,” he said.
Henry Okoye, spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter to ensure justice is served.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight against child abuse in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of immediate intervention and legal consequences for perpetrators.
