A 52-year-old grandma, identified as Mama Vera, has been arrested for brutalizing her grandchildren by rubbing hot pepper on them for collecting garri and sugar to drink without her consent.
According to reports, the victims started staying with her, following their mom’s death, three years ago.
It was gathered that she constantly maltreats the grandchildren, aged 8 and 7, stopped them from attending school and sometimes lock them inside the room for about four days without food.
Their neighbours in Mgbuoba community, Rivers State, who reported the incident to the police, disclosed that they heard the cries of the children, went to the apartment and discovered the door was locked.
They said they forced the door opened and discovered the two naked girls were tied with an electric wire and hot pepper robbed all over their bodies, adding that the younger kid was already weak as at the time the door was broken.
According to the eyewitnesses, they untied the children, revitalized them and while interrogating the kids, they confessed that they collected garri and sugar to drink without their grandmother’s consent due to hunger.
A lawyer, Precious Johnmark, who also witnessed the incident, is calling on the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, to follow the case and ensure the prosecution of Mama Vera for allegedly violating the rights of the girls.
