The Enugu State Government has rescued a 16-year-old girl who was publicly banished from the Nenwe community following allegations of $3×ual abu§e involving her father.
The intervention was carried out by the state’s Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development after a video showing the teenager and her father being forced out of the community went viral on social media.
In the footage, community elders and residents were seen escorting the pair out of the village while raining curses on them. Both were reportedly draped in palm fronds, a traditional symbol associated with abomination in some Igbo communities.
The elders reportedly described the alleged conduct as a taboo in the community.
Reacting to the incident, the Enugu State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Ngozi Enih, confirmed that the ministry had taken the girl into protective care.
Enih disclosed that the teenager had been placed in a safe shelter to protect her from further harm and support her recovery.
Meanwhile, a manhunt has reportedly been launched to apprehend her father over the allegations.
The commissioner assured the public that the girl’s physical health, emotional well-being and overall welfare remained priorities for the state government.
She added that the teenager would receive comprehensive psychosocial support to help her cope with the trauma and begin the recovery process.
Emphasising the need to protect victims of abu§e, Enih said:
“No ch|ld should ever be blamed, rejected, or pun|shed for being a victim of such abu§e.”
The incident has sparked concerns about child protection, the handling of §£×ual abu§e allegations and the treatment of vulnerable children within traditional communities.
While the government has moved to protect the teenager, the allegations against her father remain subject to investigation. The priority, authorities have stressed, is to safeguard the girl’s welfare and ensure that the matter is handled through appropriate legal channels.