The Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have issued warnings against employing underage house helps, maltreatment of vulnerable persons, and other domestic violence.
The warning was issued when the police paraded an Anambra-based lawyer, Adachukwu Okafor, who was recently arrested for allegedly assaulting her 10-year-old house help.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, said that the prevalence of child abuse, child labour, maltreatment, assault, and other violence meted out on children would not be condoned.
She stressed that the government would no longer tolerate such acts, and severe punishment awaits perpetrators of inhuman treatment. Kennedy-Ohanenye added that apart from the domestication and implementation of the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and others, the government would implement other strategies to stop the practice, as it has recently become prevalent in many parts of the country.
The minister said: “Thank you Mr President for the power given to me to be able to protect the rights of women and children, and I am telling Nigerians that taking of under 18 children as house helps would no longer be tolerated.
“We are launching all sorts of measures to protect women and children.
“As you employ a child under 18 years, the police will not rest, and I also will not rest until we stop all these societal ills and prosecute offenders.”
