Anambra State Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Ify Obinabo has vowed to rescue a 16-year old new mum, Maryann Nwakego from her captors.
Mother of the victim, Mrs Uwaoma Ezigbo from Abatete in Idemili North Local government area of the state, had visited the commissioner with a complaint of how she lost her daughter to the family of one Mrs Ogechukwu Ofoedu.
Narrating her ordeal to the Commissioner in her office in Awka, Ezigbo said she had earlier warned her daughter to stop associating with one Chidi Ofoedu from same community and had further begged his parents to hold their son from associating with her child.
She alleged that despite her plea, the duo continued in the relationship which eventually led to pregnancy, prompting her to reach out to Chidi’s mother, Mrs Ogechukwu Ofoedu, but all efforts were futile.
She further revealed that after sometime she stopped seeing her daughter, alleging that the Ofoedus had already taken her daughter to live with them.
“I went to several places in order to retrieve my child including SARCS Awkuzu where I lodged a complaint against the family. It was at the police station that the Ofoedus came with my daughter who I discovered was no longer pregnant.
“When I asked what happened to the baby, my daughter who came to the station with Ofoedu’s family, told me that the baby is dead and had already been buried,” she added.
When asked why she did not take her daughter home same day, Mrs Ezigbo explained that she was told by officers in charge of the case to come back the following day.
“When I came back as requested, I was told that all parties involved in the case have been discharged.
“Ever since then I’ve been going to beg the Ofoedus to release my daughter so she will at least complete her secondary education,” she lamented.
Responding, the Commissioner assured Ezigbo that her daughter would not only be rescued, but that she would investigate what transpired with the presumed dead baby.
