Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion’s Rapid Response Rescue Team on Sexual, Gender Based Violence and Child Abuse has rescued a young girl of aged 7 named Anthonia Happiness Bassey who has been a victim of physical abuse, torture and assault by her biological father.
The father was also arrested in Ibadan following a report made available to the Rapid Response Rescue Team of the Ministry on Friday.
Briefing newsmen in her office about the incident, the State Commissioner for Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja, Faosat Sanni who confirmed the incident described it as an inhuman treatment melted to an innocent child.
“We received a report of the incident through a social media handle of someone living in that community on our Rapid Response Rescue Team media platform that one Mr Happiness Bassey (the biological father of the young girl) who lived at No 20, Joseph Ayantoye Street, Inu koko, Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan, allegedly abused and inflicted injuries on his 7 years old daughter who as a result, has scars and bruises all over her body.
“It was also reported that the father who works as a security man with an undisclosed outfit constantly torture the child for reasons yet to be explained and we also learnt that the mother of the child who is also the wife has travelled to their village in Akwa Ibom State to give birth to another child and left Anthonia with her father who subjected the girl to abuse and instructed the poor girl to always tell anyone who asked about the marks and bruises on her body that she fell, as a cover up story to his evil act.
“As a concerned Ministry, immediately we got the report, we swung into action to rescue the child and equally arrest the abuser for further Investigations at the Anti – Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corp, Oyo State Command, headquarters office at Agodi.
“The Child has been taken to Oni and Sons Children Hospital at Ring Road, Ibadan for medical examination and treatment, while the ministry has also made adequate provision for alternative care and support for the child, and we are also on contact tracing of the wife to get details about the family.”
Reacting further, Alhaja Sanni said child abuse in any form was against the will of God and humanity, stressing that it was an act that hurts a child and negatively impacts on their development and wellbeing.
She frowned at the high rates of this immoral act as she said it majorly affected women and children in the State because they were the most vulnerable.
She reiterated the zero tolerance of Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration to all forms of sexual and gender based violence, assuring that all hands were on deck to fight and deal with perpetrators as extant laws were been reviewed to bring perpetrators of such evil acts into justice, irrespective of their background or status.
Commending the collective efforts of the team, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Christiana Abioye advised parents especially, mothers to live up to their responsibilities of taking care of their children and at the same time protect them from all forms of evil vices.
She called on the general public to always expose abusers of any form by reporting to the Ministry through popular channels that could easily get to the appropriate headquarters for quick action.
