A 12 -year-old girl (name withheld) was bathed with a mixture of hot water and oil by her auntie, one Christiana Nfon Ipkebe, over missing N500 in Cross River State.
The Guardian gathered that the survivor was living with her auntie in Akamkpa Local Council when the evil act was carried out on the little girl.
A source from the neighbourhood told The Guardian that the auntie, who is now at large, poured the hot substance on her, because of missing N500 out of the N7, 550 worth of yams, she sold.
According to the source, a teacher from the little girl’s school noticed that she had not been in school for days and decided to check on her, but found her covered with burns on her upper body.
The source said: “A teacher noticed that the child had not been in school for some days. On a visit to check on the child this is what he saw.
“Her auntie poured hot water mixed with oil on her because N500 was missing out of the N7,550 she sold from the yams she went out with.”
MEANWHILE, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), has taken over the matter after they got information through Akamkpa Child Protection Network.
Counsel to the NGO, who is also Chairperson, Cross River State Child Protection Network, James Ibor, confirmed that the incident happened on March 3, 2022 and that the police have not been able to arrest her, because she absconded when she got information that the police were coming for her.
He said: “On March 3, 2022, in Akamkpa Local Council of Cross River State, the perpetrator (her aunty) prepared a mixture of hot water and oil, then bathed the unsuspecting innocent little girl with the hot mixture, which resulted in a second degree burn.
“BRCI has commenced treatment for the child and is currently mobilising support to raise the sum of N945,000 for further treatment and care for the survivor.”
Contacted, the State Command Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP), Irene Ugbo, said she was not aware of the case, but a source in Akamkpa Police station said Ikpebe is still on the run.
