By Ado Oyeyemi
The Rivers State Police Command has rescued a 15-year-old girl allegedly kept inside a toilet for weeks by a couple who employed her as a house help in Abuloma, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
The teenager, identified simply as Amaechi and said to be from Ebonyi State, was rescued on Monday, September 14, following a complaint raised by the landlord of the residence over her prolonged absence.
The couple, whose identities were not disclosed by the police, were subsequently arrested and taken into custody for questioning.
According to the police, the landlord became suspicious after noticing that the teenager had not been seen outside the house for some time. He subsequently alerted the police, leading to the intervention of operatives from the Abuloma Police Division.
The girl was reportedly found locked inside the toilet, where she had allegedly been confined for several weeks over an undisclosed offence.
A source told The PUNCH that the teenager was allegedly given food only once daily while in confinement and was said to have repeatedly pleaded with her employers to release her.
Another account indicated that her cries attracted the attention of neighbours, who raised the alarm and prompted the police intervention.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the landlord’s observation led to the teenager’s rescue.
Agabe said the girl was taken to the police station after she was rescued, while her family had been contacted to come and take her home.
She said, “It was the landlord that noticed that the girl had not been coming out of the house for some time. He suspected something and informed the police.
“So our men got there and rescued the girl from the house where she was locked up in the toilet. She was their house help. We have contacted the family of the girl to come to the station.
“The husband and the wife that she was living with as their house help have been arrested. They are with us and investigation is ongoing.”
The police spokesperson added that the teenager would not be returned to the residence where she was allegedly held, while the command continued its investigation into the circumstances surrounding her confinement.
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Asked whether the couple would be arraigned, Agabe said the police were still investigating the matter.
