Woman Arrested For Using 10 Year Old Girl To Beg For Alms

Anambra State Government Cracks Down on Child Begging: Woman Arrested for Exploiting 10-Year-Old Girl

In a bid to combat the exploitation of children for alms begging, the Anambra State Government has made a significant arrest. Eneh Ogechukwu, a 27-year-old woman hailing from the Udi community in Enugu State, was apprehended in the Oyeolisa Ogbunike area of Anambra State for using a 10-year-old girl from Benue State to beg for alms. This arrest comes after repeated warnings from the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, urging individuals involved in such activities to cease their actions immediately.

Expressing her dissatisfaction with the situation, Commissioner Obinabo took it upon herself to arrest Ogechukwu on Friday. She promptly handed the offender over to the police, emphasizing that the culprit would face charges in court. Obinabo made it clear that no one caught exploiting children for begging would go unpunished, firmly stating, “Anambra State is not a place where perpetrators of crime thrive, especially using children for begging. We will continue to get as many defaulters as possible until sanity is brought to the state.”

During interrogation, Ogechukwu attempted to justify her actions by claiming she was merely trying to help the 10-year-old girl and her family seek public support for the child’s medical treatment. According to the culprit, the young girl is suffering from a tumor disease that has caused her abdomen to protrude. Consequently, Ogechukwu resorted to using the girl for alms begging to gather funds for the necessary surgery.

She confessed that she had been employing this exploitative tactic since December 2022 and had managed to accumulate a sum of N100,000 (Nigerian Naira). However, the doctor treating the girl has demanded a staggering N400,000 for the tumor surgery. Ogechukwu’s actions not only violate ethical standards but also put the child at risk of further harm.

Following the questioning, the offender was handed over to the Ogidi Police Division, and the case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka. The next step will involve the arraignment of Ogechukwu before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka, where the charges against her will be addressed.

Taking the well-being of the young girl seriously, Commissioner Obinabo accompanied her to the hospital for a thorough medical examination and to explore possible treatment options. The Anambra State Government remains committed to protecting vulnerable children and eradicating the exploitation that often plagues their lives.