Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has ordered the return of the
15-year-old girl, Uzoamaka Chukwu,who was stripped and tortured early
this month by some people in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.
Umahi, who gave the order on Sunday when he visited the family of the
teenager at Umunaga Uburu, said her return would enable state
government take full responsibility of her rehabilitation &
training.
Although Uzoamaka was last week reportedly taken custody of by an
Ebonyi State-born Port-Harcourt-based businesswoman, Ms Rita Nnenna
Anoh, Umahi said she must return within seven days or be declared wanted
because she remained a property of state.
Umahi, in a statement on Sunday night by his Chief Press Secretary, Emma
Anya, said, "Government is asking that wherever she is, she should
come back so that we can take over her training from secondary school to
university level. We will also be able to rehabilitate her.
“ We are giving seven days for her to come back. We don’t know where
she is but we ask that she must return because she is the property of
the state.”
The governor, who also promised to improve the welfare of the girls
family, reiterated his administration’s willingness to see that justice
was done.
He added,
"The matter is before a competent court; ,so we may not say much but on
what we saw,we felt very bad as a people,as government and as brothers
and sisters of Uzoamaka.
"We feel that is a gross violation of her right and man’s inhumanity to
man.
"So we are very sad about it and that is why I directed that all of us
should come to take over the responsibility of the girl.”
Umahi said what government was doing was in no way going to stop the
case in court, stressing that the case in court will continue to run its
course.
“The government’s intervention would not disrupt justice in the case, as
we would ensure that such incident does not repeat itself while
thanking the family for its belief in the government’s ability to handle
the issue. The case in court will continue to run its course and
justice must also be done in that direction," he emphasised.
Responding, Elder Francis Odabe, who responded on behalf of the family, appreciated Governor Umahi as a passionate leader.
He said,
"We know you are a charitable son of the soil and we know that even
if you had not been a governor, you would have still come to
sympathise with us. You would have still shown concern because we know
you for that. "
Odabe promised on behalf of the family to do everything possible to
ensure that Uzoamaka was brought back home within the seven days
given by the governor.
The governor made the visit in company with some members of the state
Executive Council and political stakeholders from old Ohaozara LGA.
