A five-year-old girl, simply identified as Onyinyechi, whose guardian allegedly burnt her private parts with candlelight and scalded her hands with boiling water, is to undergo two major corrective surgeries in Imo State, in a case that has drawn renewed attention to Nigeria’s child rights protections.
Information available to our correspondent confirms that the child sustained severe, third-degree burns as a result of the alleged abuse.
The incident occurred in Uruala community, Ideato North Council Area of Imo State, where interventions were made to facilitate the arrest of the guardian, identified as Ms. Juliet Igwe.
A consultant plastic surgeon reviewing the case confirmed that medical investigations showed that the wounds on the child’s private parts and hands were classified as third-degree burns, requiring advanced reconstructive procedures.
The specialist recommended two stages of corrective surgery to manage the extensive damage.
“To correct the damage, the minor will undergo first debridement surgery and, lastly, skin grafting on her hands, which were peeled off by her wicked guardian with boiled water.”
Debridement is a procedure to remove dead or damaged tissue to promote healing, while skin grafting involves transplanting healthy skin to cover injured areas.
The Imo State Government, through the Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA), has undertaken to pay all medical bills associated with the surgeries and ongoing treatment.
Good spirited Nigerians and concerned authorities are determined to secure justice for the survivor, noting that the suspect would be arraigned in court in the coming days.
The case is a clear violation of the Child’s Rights Act 2003, particularly the provisions guaranteeing every child’s right to dignity, protection from torture and inhuman treatment, and freedom from abuse and neglect.
The alleged conduct breaches sections of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and relevant provisions of the Criminal Code applicable in Imo State, which criminalise assault, grievous harm and cruelty to children.
Under Nigerian law, including the Child’s Rights Act and corresponding state child rights laws, perpetrators of such abuse may face imprisonment, fines or both, for assault, willful infliction of injury and cruelty to a child.