Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has promised to assist in rehabilitating the Enugu born 14 year-old SS-2 student of Government Secondary School, Apo Resettlement, Abuja, Miss Ifesinachi Ani, who was abducted about six months ago and converted to Islam.
The girl, who is the daughter of one Mr. Sunday Ani from Ani-Chime family, Umunachi Ngene, Amaechi Awkunanaw, Enugu South Local Government Area, Enugu State, was reported to have been taken to the Central Police Station, Uwani, Enugu by the abductors, after several alarm was raised in the media over her fate.
The development prompted the Enugu State governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to dispatch a delegation of top government functionaries, led by the state commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji in company of her counterpart in the ministry of Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Mrs. Felicia Ikpeama, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Louis Amoke, among others, to pay a solidarity visit to the family on the reported abduction of their daughter, Ifesinachi.
Addressing members of the family, Governor Ugwanyi who spoke through his commissioner for Gender Affairs, Princess Nnaji told them that his administration was touched by the news of the unfortunate incident of the abduction of the 14 year-old girl, adding that he will do everything possible to ensure that the girl is fully rehabilitated and taken adequate care of in line with the government’s policy on Child Right Act.
She said that the governor as a man of kindness, cared and had the interest of every citizen of the state at heart, no matter where the person resided, adding that the visit was also to rejoice with the family and thank God for the efforts made so far to release the girl from the hands of the abductors.
The Gender Affairs commissioner also noted that Gov. Ugwuanyi was interested in taking care of children of the state, adding that it was as a result of this that he supported the passage of the Child Right bill into law, which protects the rights of every child within the age of 01 to 17.
She argued that the abducted 14 year-old Ifesinachi was a child going by the said Act, stressing that it was the responsibility of the state government through the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development to protect and rehabilitate the abducted girl.
Princess Nnaji, who commended the Media for bringing the plight of Miss Ifesinachi Ani to public domain, equally commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase for his prompt intervention on the matter.
She revealed that when the state government learnt that the girl was at Uwani police station, Enugu, she placed a call to the Commissioner of Police who told her that the IG of Police had called him on the matter and directed that the girl and the abductors be brought to Abuja for further investigation.
Also speaking, the commissioner for Health, Dr. Ngwu told the family of Ifesinachi that he was in the delegation as a medical expert and Commissioner for Health to make sure that their daughter who was abducted and found was medically sound and that she got full psychological evaluation and rehabilitation.
Dr. Ngwu who regretted that the girl had been taken to Abuja when the delegation arrived, assured the family that he will be back when she returned from Abuja, to ensure that she was medically and psychologically fit, and rehabilitated to a full functional and productive Enugu State indigene, as directed by the governor.
Responding, Mr. John Ani, a brother to Mr. Sunday Ani, the father of Miss Ifesinachi, who spoke on behalf of the family, thanked the governor of Enugu State for the surprised visit, and expressed joy that their daughter who was lost had been found.
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