Anita Ogona
Anambra State Government has arrested one Uzochukwu Okoli for giving out his underaged daughters in marriage.
Uzochukwu Okoli was apprehended after his daughter reported to the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare the ill treatment being meted out on her by her father and the man he forced her to marry.
The daughter, Chioma Okoli, who is currently 16 years old, said after the death of their mother, their father brought them back from Edo state, where they were going to school to take a husband.
She alleged that she was first forced to live with a 70 plus year old man at the age of 14 but after sometime, she ran back to her father’s house before he finally gave her out to a 34 year old Chinedu Nweke as husband.
Chioma who also came with her elder sister explained that life with Chinedu has been a living hell because he beats her and sometimes after beating her pees in her mouth and that made her run away with her 9 months old baby.
Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli, on the other hand, claimed her daughter is 18 years old and, at some point, said 20 years.
Mr Okoli, when he was handcuffed, threatened to deal with the daughters if he made it out of prison. He also urged them to pray he dies in prison because he will make life more miserable for them.
Meanwhile, the Honourable Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, has instructed that the case be charged to court so that the children can get justice.
Hon Obinabo used the medium to urge parents to be mindful of their children and direct them properly instead of pushing them to early marriages, which will destroy their lives.
Both Mr. Okoli and Chinedu Nweke were arrested and will be arraigned in court.
By Chidinma Ikeanyionwu
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