Recently, the Ebonyi State Police Command paraded Mr. Ogbonnaya Ene Odi, a serving Coordinator of Ohazara Development Centre in Ebonyi State, and 5 other suspects for allegedly abducting, torturing and indecently assaulting 14 -year- old Uzoamaka Chukwu, an orphan who is presently a JS 2 student, resident in Uburu community, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state.

For refusing the amorous overtures of one Enekwachi, reportedly the younger brother of Odi, she was stripped naked, flogged, dragged on the ground and bathe with alcoholic drink. The culprits allegedly went further to video their heinous actions and gleefully put them on the internet. Odi was said to have allowed 5 camera men to do the recording. Everything was allegedly done with the active connivance of 2 policemen. After the filming, she was said to have been taken to a clinic in Ohazara for HIV test and given N100 to pay for treatment.

We sympathise with Uzoamaka for the beastly, dehumanising and traumatising act she was subjected to, especially at such a tender age of 14. We also call for justice as a deterrent to others who feel that they could get away with cruelty to their fellow human beings with impunity.

It is a pity that Odi, a politician who grovelled and begged for people’s votes either for himself or his party before the election could allegedly turn around to maltreat the same people who deserve gratitude and care for making his aspirations materialise.

The most painful aspect of the whole saga is that the policemen who represent the institution that should have granted Uzoamaka protection were found to have sucked up to Ogbonnaya’s money, sold their conscience and become compromised because of their lack of self confidence and self worth.

This development obviously brings into focus the devastating role of sycophancy in Nigerian politics. Certainly those around the co-ordinator of Ohazara Development Centre cannot say they were oblivious of the implications but would rather indulge him because of the measly crumbs that fall off his table.

They most likely consider themselves amongst the privileged few who are allowed in the company of Odi. Rather than create an environment that would assist misinformed and mal-adjusted Odi to be re-orientated, so he could alter or replace his domineering masculinity through a more acceptable and orderly socialisation, this set of policemen prefer to benefit from the tainted largesse given to them to cover his tracks.

Now that the culprits are in police custody,it is our expectation that justice will prevail so that if found guilty, appropriate penalty will be meted out to teach them and their ilk that money and power, if used positively would also yield the awe and reverence that is accorded influential people because of their position.

READ MORE @ http://independentnig.com/uzoamaka/