An underage wife has cried to the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare following the abuse she has suffered in the hands of her father and husband.
Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli has been arrested by the state government for marrying off his 16-year-old daughter, Chioma Okoli to 34-year-old Chinedu Nweke who abuses her.
Okoli was apprehended after his daughter reported the alleged ill-treatment being meted out to her by her father and the husband he forced on her.
Chioma said after the death of her mother, her father took her and her sister out of Edo state and brought them to Anambra.
She alleged that she was first forced to live with a 70-plus-year-old man at the age of 14 but after some time, she ran back to her father’s house before he finally gave her out to Chinedu Nweke as husband.
Chioma who was in the company of her sister, explained that life with Chinedu has been a living hell because he allegedly beats her and sometimes pees in her mouth. She said this act made her run away with their 9-month-old baby.
Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli, on the other hand, claimed her daughter is 18 years old and, at some point, said she is 20 years old.
After he was handcuffed, Mr Okoli threatened to deal with the daughters if he made it out of prison.
He also urged Chioma and her sister to pray he dies in prison because he would make life more miserable for them.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, has instructed that the case be charged to court so that the girl can get justice.
Both Mr Okoli and Chinedu Nweke were arrested and will be arraigned in court.
