Mother gives out 4-year-old daughter as collateral for Ghs 1.23 debt

It took the swift intervention by Nigeria’s Child Abuse /Maltreatment Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to rescue a four-year-old girl, Uloma Igwe who had been given out by her 38-year-old mother, Veronica Igwe to an unknown creditor as a collateral for a N100 debt.

The incident happened at Okposi Umuoghara in Ezza North Local Government Council of Ebonyi state on Tuesday.

Desk Officer in charge of Child Abuse /Maltreatment Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Cecilia Elom told newsmen on Thursday that her outfit rushed to the residence of the creditor, Josephine Nwali at the CAS campus of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki following a tipoff.

She said: “On reaching the residence, we saw little Uloma Igwe with another seven – year- old boy hawking. On interrogation, they confessed to have been lured into hawking by Mrs. Josephine Nwali who they were living with.

“Uloma’s mother, Veronica, informed our officials that she did not even know the woman she gave her child to.”

Josephine Nwali reportedly admitted to the officials that she had had a business transaction with Veronica Igwe at the Rice Mill Abakaliki in August 2017 during which she was left with the said debt.

She then suggested to the debtor to give her one of her daughters in exchange for the money.

Cecilia Elom said: “Officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs invited Mrs. Josephine Nwali to the Office, from where she was handed over to the Ebonyi State Police Command for interrogation.”

Mother gives out 4-year-old daughter as collateral for Ghs 1.23 debt

It took the swift intervention by Nigeria’s Child Abuse /Maltreatment Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to rescue a four-year-old girl, Uloma Igwe who had been given out by her 38-year-old mother, Veronica Igwe to an unknown creditor as a collateral for a N100 debt.

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