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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, has announced a N2 million reward for anyone who can provide information on how to arrest Adachukwu Cukelu-Okafor, an Anambra-based lawyer, who allegedly brutalised her 11-year-old house help.
In a viral video, the house help, identified as Happiness, was seen with iron-stamp burns all over her body, allegedly inflicted on her by Cukelu-Okafor.
Happiness was said to have started living with the lawyer on January 5, 2024, in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Cukelu-Okafor allegedly used a broken bottle, knife, and electric iron to inflict injuries on the child for allegedly touching her daughter.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, the minister said she has the right to intervene in any matter that concerns women and children in the country.
“I kept quiet because I thought by now it should have been solved. For the fact that up till date it has not been solved, I’ve decided to wage in.
“Everything that concerns women and children across Nigeria, I have every right to get involved in it. See this one I kept quiet, what has happened till date? Nothing!
“So, let us not fold our hands. This happened in Anambra State, N2 million will be given to anybody that will give us information on how this woman will be apprehended by the police because police have been looking for her and she’s nowhere to be found,” she said.
Kennedy-Ohaneye said she would soon make a pronouncement to put a stop to the use of children under-18 as house helps.
“There’ll be a pronouncement on that within a week from now. And there’ll be an enforcement programme towards that action. And we will need whistleblowers who are Nigerians. Nigerians come out and fight for your country.
“Especially now that you have a president who listens to your problems, and who is eager to solve them. Are we going to fold our hands and allow this opportunity pass time?
“We should come out. Don’t rely on anybody or don’t fear anybody, come out and give information about anything that you feel will help this country. If you don’t know anywhere to go, come to Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and you will see immediate action,” she added.