A man identified as Effiong Sunday drawn the ire of residents in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after he used hot electric iron on a 13-year-old girl.
Sunday, who hails from Akwa Ibom, but lives on Brass Street, Etegwe, Yenagoa, is said to be the uncle of the teenager.
It was gathered that the girl was accused of stealing N3000 belonging to their next-door neighbour but the girl was said to have repeatedly denied the allegation.
An eyewitnesses, Omubo Bipre, said despite the denials of the girl, her uncle subjected to unimaginable physical abuse using hot pressing iron.
Narrating the incident, he said: “On Tuesday 5th September 2018, the little girl was accused of stealing N3000 from her next door neighbor. After questioning and interrogation from her uncle, Mr. Sunday Effiong, the little girl said she didn’t steal any money.
“The uncle insisted that she must tell him the truth and he started beating her up mercilessly. Later he removed her cloths and started burning her with a hot pressing Iron that she must tell him the whereabout of the money.
“According to the little girl, he continued to burn her face and breast with the hot pressing Iron and she accepted she stole the money under duress.
“The painful side of the story is that the neighbor eventually found his money where he kept it.
“Despite the injuries he inflicted on the little girl, her uncle didn’t bother to take her to the hospital for treatment.
On Friday 7 September, neighbours started frowning and spreading the story after seeing the injuries on the girl.
“The information got to Mr. Numoipre Benson Ayah, Tony Owei Angagha and my humble self and we decided to see what we could do to help the little girl.
“We contacted Do Foundation, an NGO that is into child abuse and other related matters chaired by Dise Ogbesi Sheila and her second Excel Bright.
“The little girl was taken to the Ekeki police station. Mr Sunday Effiong and his wife were invited for interrogation by the Gender Desk Office.
“The little girl is now receiving treatment in the hospital courtesy of Do Foundation
While we await justice we say a big thank you to barrister Dise ogbesi Sheila and Excel bright for their swift intervention, we also say a big thank you to the police, doctors and others that are concerned in the little girl’s plight”.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident and identified the victim as Christiana Ita.
He said Sunday and the teenager hail from hailed from Oruko in Akwa Ibom State identifying the object used in the teenager as electric iron.
Butswat said: “The object used on the victim is electric iron. The police are investigating the incident”.
