Operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Akwa Ibom State have rescued 12-year-old Bright Sunday, who had been imprisoned in a dilapidated building by her father and stepmother. During a press briefing in Uyo, Mr. Eluyemi Eluwade, the State Commandant of NSCDC, revealed that the rescue followed a complaint from the State Ministry of Justice regarding the severe mistreatment of the girl.
The accused, Ndifreke Sunday and his 28-year-old wife, Mrs. Victory Sunday, both from Ikot Ukporo Idoro Village in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, were charged under Section 10 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2020. They reportedly confined Bright because they believed she was a witch responsible for their misfortunes.
The arrest occurred on September 10, and Eluwade criticized the abuse as inhumane. Bright will be placed in a Gender-Based Violence Shelter Home for her safety and rehabilitation. The NSCDC has committed to ensuring justice and holding the perpetrators accountable. Bright disclosed that she was locked in a rundown room, deprived of food and sanitation, frequently beaten by her stepmother, and denied education.
