Woman Gives Out 4yr Daughter As Collateral For N100 Debt

Mrs. Veronica Igwe, a 38-year-old woman from Okposi Umuoghara in Ezza North Local Government, Ebonyi State, has reportedly offered her four-year-old daughter, Uloma Igwe, to her creditor as collateral for a N100 debt.

Briefing newsmen in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital on Thursday, Cecilia Elom, Desk Officer in charge of Child Abuse/Maltreatment Ministry of Women Affairs, said the ministry got a call on Tuesday informing them of the situation.

“Immediately we received the report, officials of the ministry rushed to the CAS campus of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, where the alleged creditor, Mrs. Josephine Nwali, resides,” Elom said.

“On reaching the residence, we saw little Uloma Igwe with another seven-year-old boy hawking. On interrogation, they confessed to have been lured into hawking by Mrs. Josephine Nwali who they were living with.

“Uloma’s mother, Veronica, informed our officials that she did not even know the woman she gave her child to.”

Veronica said she had a business transaction with Mrs. Nwali at the Rice Mill Abakaliki in August 2017, where she bought some items from her, after which she owed her N100.

Veronica further admitted to have suggested to her debtor that she could bring one of her children in exchange for the debt.

She said she did not know the residence of the woman she handed her daughter to, but that the transaction took place at the rice mill where they do daily rice transactions.

“Officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs, invited Mrs. Josephine Nwali to the Office, from where she was handed over to the Ebonyi State Police Command for interrogation,” Elom added.

Elom further stated that the ministry of women affairs had since taken the little girl, Uloma, to the hospital for proper medical treatment.