The Federal Government has declared Anambra-based lawyer Adachukwu Chukelu-Okafor wanted for allegedly burning her 11-year-old house help and placed a N2 million bounty on her. Chukelu-Okafor who is currently at large, was alleged to have used a hot-pressing iron and knife to burn and chop in pieces, the private part of her house help. Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, revealed this at a news conference in Abuja, following a viral video of the girl after she was abused and returned to her aunt, who gave her out as house help. Kennedy-Ohanenye stated that the suspect has been evading authorities since the incident. According to the minister, she has changed her contact data although she remains active on social media, saying no action will be taken against her.
"With the President, we have right now, it's time for Nigerians to fight for their rights and it can only happen with a President that listens and I don't want Nigerians to miss out. So I am declaring Adachukwu Kukelu Okafor wanted.
“Please, Nigerians, go out there and search for this woman, bring her out, call any police station, and hand her over.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is offering N2 million to anybody who will lay hands on this woman and hand her over to the police.
“We need this woman urgently because the girl is in pain and has been in the hospital. It could be your child or anybody’s relative, so let us not fold our hands.
“We will give N2 million to anybody who will give the necessary information to the police or the women’s affairs ministry on how to get Adachukwu, the barrister, who did all those harmful things to her house help.
“This woman will be apprehended by the police who have been looking for her, and she is nowhere to be found,” she said.
Kennedy-Ohanenye also urged the public to divulge any information that would enable the authorities to apprehend the suspect, who has gone into hiding, to ensure justice for the victim.
“This issue of Adachukwuchu, who burnt her 11-year-old house girl with a hot knife, putting it in her private part, and at the same time using a hot pressing iron to do other damage to her, is of grave concern to the Federal Government.
The minister also revealed that the government would soon make a pronouncement on the issue of employing underage housekeepers who are less than 18 years old to end cases of child abuse and violation.
According to her, there will be an enforcement programme to that end to be driven by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“Again, in a couple of days, there will be a pronouncement from this ministry on taking house help from children who are less than 18 years old.
“We are going to put a stop to it; there will be a pronouncement within a week and an endorsement programme for that action.