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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
A civil society group, Stand For Humanity Foundation, has raised concern over the rising cases of child abuse.
The founder of the organisation, Mr. Chidiebube Okeoma, who spoke to journalists at the weekend, decried the abuse of a 12-year-old girl in the state by a 63-year-old man who is currently being remanded in the Owerri Correctional Centre.
He also cited cases of abuse of a seven-year-old girl by a 73-year-old man who is in police custody, the dehumanisation of a five-year-old girl by her 38-year-old guardian who is currently remanded in prison in Owerri, as well as the abuse of a four-year-old girl by a 64-year-old man who was arraigned by the police through the intervention of his foundation.
Okeoma, who is a journalist, disclosed that his organisation was partnering with the Imo State Police Command, the Owerri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Vulnerable Groups, the Imo State Health Insurance Agency, the Office of the Special Adviser on Youth Affairs to the state governor, and other critical stakeholders to nip the scourge in the bud in the state.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Audu Bosso, who spoke at the event, commended the organisation for rallying critical stakeholders in the state to speak in defence of all children.
Represented by the spokesperson of the command, Henry Okoye, the CP said that the command will continue to partner the organisation to end all forms of child abuse in the state.
Also, the Vice Chairman of NBA, Owerri branch, Ekezie Onumajulu, who is also the Chairman, Human Rights Committee of the branch, said that the NBA will partner with the organisation to stop the abuse of children in the state.
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The chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association in the state, Bartholomew Echeta, who commended the organisation for the awareness campaign, sought collaboration with the human rights organisation to mitigate the abuse of children in the state.
Similarly, Executive Secretary of Imo State Health Insurance Agency, Uche Ewelike, disclosed that the agency provides free medical services to some cases of child abuse which Stand For Humanity Foundation brought to its notice and would continue to partner with the organisation to eradicate all forms of child abuse in the state.
The resource person for the rally, Emeka Nwolisa, a chief consultant pediatrician at the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Owerri, descried child abuse as injustice to humanity.
A popular Nollywood comic actor, Osinachi Dike, popularly known as Apama, who joined the rally, urged everybody to join hands with the organisation to end all forms of child abuse in the state.
The Special Adviser on Youth Affairs to the state governor, Eric Uwakwe, who spoke during the awareness campaign, said that the rally was timely as it came at a time children were being abuse in the society.
A former deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly, Ugonna Ozurigbo, who joined the rally assured the cooperation of his office to end the scourge.
Lawyers, students, businessmen, journalists, medical doctors, other professionals, artisans, and children also joined in the awareness campaign.
