The arrest of a man named Uzochukwu Okoli by the Anambra State Government has taken place after allegations emerged that he arranged a marriage involving his underage daughter.
The arrest occurred following a report made by Okoli’s daughter to the state Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, detailing the mistreatment she endured at the hands of her father and the man he forced her to marry.
Chidimma Ikeanyionwu, the Media Aide to the state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, issued a statement on Thursday, revealing the circumstances of the case. According to the statement, the girl, named Chioma and currently 16 years old, claimed that her father brought her back from Edo State, where they were attending school, after the death of their mother. She alleged that her father first forced her to live with a 70-year-old man when she was just 14 years old. However, she eventually escaped and returned to her father’s house before he subsequently arranged for her to marry a 34-year-old man named Chinedu N.
Chioma, accompanied by her elder sister, described her life with her husband as a “living hell,” stating that he physically abused her and, on occasion, even subjected her to degrading acts such as urinating in her mouth. These unbearable circumstances prompted her to flee with her nine-month-old baby.
Uzochukwu Okoli, the father, initially claimed that his daughter was 18 years old but later changed his story, asserting that she was 20 years old. When Okoli was apprehended and restrained, he threatened to harm his daughters if he were to be released from prison, even expressing his desire for them to pray for his demise behind bars, as he vowed to make their lives more miserable.
In response to this disturbing situation, Ify Obinabo instructed that the case be taken to court to ensure justice for the children involved. She also used the opportunity to remind parents to be attentive to their children’s well-being and to provide them with proper guidance instead of forcing them into early marriages, which can have devastating consequences.
Both Uzochukwu Okoli and Chinedu N have been arrested and will face charges in court.
