August 7, 2023

The Transnational Intergovernmental Organization – International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Nigeria, under the watch of the Ambassador at Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission H.E. Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, achieved another milestone by preserving the life of a 13-year-old girl in Abuja from the possibility of being kidnapped or used for rituals by people who could have possibly seized her vulnerability to do so.

In a recent development reported by the Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Fidelis Onakpoma, said that the Organization rescued a 13-year-old girl Glory Markus at Aco Abuja, who was trekking from Gwarinpa to Kaduna during the night hours of 20th July 2023.

She was found and rescued by the Director of Legal Affairs IHRC Nigeria, Victor Itodo Uloko Esq, along the Aco expressway. The prompt intervention of the International Human Rights Commission safeguarded her from being a victim of another social media headline on missing children.

Itodo narrated that on 20th July at about 08: 30pm while driving to his in-law’s house at Aco, he had a flat tire immediately after Lugbe close to the Aco bridge and was trying to fix it up when he saw a little girl wearing a school uniform with LEA Gwarinpa Abuja written on her cardigan, walking and crying towards him.

“I called her and asked her where she was going, and she said she was going to Kaduna to meet her parents…from where? She said from her Guardian’s House at 3rd Avenue in Gwarinpa… she had trekked from Gwarinpa to Aco, heading to Kaduna that night”, he explained.

“I was moved with compassion, I couldn’t walk away from her, as she’s just 13 years old and it will be too dangerous for her to be left alone. I immediately reported the incident to the office and took her to the nearest Police Station where I further made provisions for her wellbeing pending the next day”, he added.

Meanwhile, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, in his continued effort to humanitarian interventions and protection of human rights, through the Legal Department of the International Human Rights Commission in Nigeria, made efforts to reach out to both the guardians and her family relatives, inviting them to the office the next day.

The avenue was to understand what happened that warranted her sudden action of trekking to Kaduna at night undermining the risk. It was also gathered that Glory Markus’s biological parents were farmers at Makera in Kaduna South.

The Guardians she was living with, Mr. Smart and Chinelo Nnagozie, alongside the family relative residing in Abuja, Danlami Sarki, honored the invitation and told the International Human Rights Commission that Glory Markus was brought from her parents in Kaduna to assist in taking care of their children, adding that she was as well admitted into the school, well fed and treated in dignity.

While appreciating IHRC who in God’s providence and mercy rescued her, expressed their worries and condemned her recent action of embarking to Kaduna at night, noting that she was just fed up with staying away from her siblings and parents and had always tended to run away with every slightest opportunity back to Kaduna.

They stressed the need for her not to return to the village because she just finished her common entrance examination as the guardians could give her a better future in Abuja than returning to the village.

However, the Director of IHRC Legal Affairs, Victor Itodo Uloko Esq, sustained that there was no evidence of abuse or maltreatment on her but discussions with all parties including the girl, representatives of the IHRC Special Monitoring Mission: Dickson Jennifer, Barr. Udochukwu and all interested individuals resolved that the girl should be sent back to her parents, in good health and mutual understanding until she becomes of a sound mind of living with other people.

Her constant indications and attempts to run away from your custody shouldn’t be neglected in a hurry, as she could end up committing suicide or do something very terrible, Itodo cautions Smart and Chinelo Nnagozi, her guardians. “Our resolution today will not only ensure her safety return but will assist in orienting her on the best way to grow as a girl child”, he added

At the time of filing this report, a statement of undertaking was signed by the guardians and family relatives to return her to her parents in Kaduna State in good health. Interestingly, the 13 year old girl, Glory Markus has been reunited with her biological parents in Kaduna State and in good health.

Reported
Victor Itodo Uloko Esq
Director of Legal Affairs IHRC Nigeria

Editorial
Fidelis Onakpoma
Head, Media & Strategic Communications IHRC Nigeria

The post 13-year Girl Trekking at Night from Abuja to Kaduna, Rescued by Int’l Human Rights Commission first appeared on ihrc.news.

It is argued that children in Nigeria are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including commercial sexual exploitation and use in armed conflict as well as quarrying granite and artisanal mining. Nigeria continues to be a source, transit, and destination country for forced labor and sex trafficking of both adults and children.

Trafficked Nigerians are recruited from primarily rural areas within the country, with women and girls recruited for domestic service and sex trafficking while boys are recruited for street vending, domestic service, mining, agriculture, and begging. (1) Benin City, the capital of Edo State, continues to be a major.

The consequences of child labor on children are devastating – with ripple effects that can last a lifetime as it violates the right of every child to be a child and to grow up free from exploitation, abuse, and violence. To this end, the Ambassador at Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission IHRC Nigeria, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, honored the invitation of the Economic Community of the Western African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Abuja, Nigeria on taking stock and sustaining the commitment of the ECOWAS Parliament against child labor.

The event is a Follow-up workshop jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), and in cooperation with the Parliament of the Economic Community of the Western African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Abuja, Nigeria on the 18th May 2023.

IHRC Officials at the event were Itodo Victor Esq, Mr. Timnan Dapchir Emmanuel and Fidelis Onakpoma as the National Volunteers Coordinator, NVC Elijah Vitus Echendu helped in the facilitation.

Reported
Fidelis Onakpoma
IHRC Head of Media, Nigeria.
May 19th, 2023.

The post IHRC Attends ECOWAS Parliamentary Session on Child Labour, Nigeria first appeared on ihrc.news.