Two nabbed for stripping teenage girls over alleged theft
Police
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Police in Ebonyi State have arrested two men for allegedly stripping two teenage girls and flogging them on allegation of theft.
The police vowed to prosecute the suspects to serve as a deterrent to others against taking the laws into their own hands.
The teenage girls in a viral video were stripped naked and made to undergo various dehumanising treatments over allegations of stealing fowls.
They were flogged and forced to parade the community naked with the fowls they allegedly stole.
The incident happened in Ojiegbe, Ngbo community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State.
The incident, it was gathered, happened in November 2023 but the video started circulating recently.
Its circulation drew wide condemnation from the public who described the treatment meted out on the two girls as dehumanising.
They called on security agencies to investigate the incident and prosecute all those involved in the inhuman treatment of the teenage girls.
A netizen wrote, “Share it until it gets to the government authorities. These girls were subjected to inhuman treatment. Criminal cases have legal punishment stipulated in the criminal code.
“Anyone caught in this situation should be handed over to the police, this treatment is too much for those small under age girls.”
Reacting to the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Command swung into action and arrested Dennis Ali and Ituma Sunday in connection to the incident.
The comp and Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu in a statement said the duo was the primary suspect in the dehumanising treatment of the girls.
He said, “The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested Dennis Ali and Ituma Sunday, the primary suspects in a disturbing viral video where two teenage girls were stripped, flogged, and dehumanised.
“The incident occurred in November 2023 at Ojiegbe Ngbo community in Ohaukwu LGA.”
Ukandu noted that the arrest is in keeping with the promise by the State Commissioner of Police, Anthonia Uche-Anya, to eradicate trial by ordeal, jungle justice, and self-help in criminal justice.
“She reaffirms the command’s commitment to rooting out such practices in Ebonyi State with stakeholder support,” he added.
