A 14-year-old girl currently in SSS2 in Abia State University Secondary School, whose parents allegedly wanted to forcefully marry off to an older man against her wish, has been rescued by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
The chairperson of the organisation, Chidinma Alozie, who disclosed this at the fund raising dinner for building of FIDA Legal Clinic and emergency rescue centre in Umuahia, said that invitation cards had been printed and a date set for the wedding, awaiting the girl to conclude her examinations, when FIDA got wind of the news.
The FIDA chairperson said the organisation moved to secure an emergency protection order from Magistrates’ Court and took the girl into protective custody immediately after her examinations, two days before her marriage.
Alozie, who enumerated several cases of child abuse in the state, observed that there was need for conducive and secured emergency rescue facility aimed at confronting these challenges in the society and appealed to government, corporate organisations, spirited individuals, foreign donors and friends of Abia to come and assist FIDA in its dream to facilitate the building of rescued homes.
In her address, the special guest of honour and wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, represented by the wife of Deputy Governor, Lady Vivian Ude Okochukwu, commended FIDA for protecting women and child’s rights.
Mrs Ikpeazu, who assured FIDA of collaboration with her Vica Hope Foundation, charged women lawyers not to relent in their efforts, while she also enjoined well-meaning individuals to complement them so as to rid the state of child abuse and youths restiveness.
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