The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Ohanenye, has filed a lawsuit against Mr. Ifeanyi Enwelum and Mrs. Christabel Enwelum, an Enugu-based couple, accusing them of breaching the fundamental rights and sexually defiling their nine-year-old daughter.
The suit, number E/987/2023, filed at the Enugu State High Court, seeks custody of the minor and demands N10 million in damages, among other requests.
Ifeanyi Enwelum, the stepfather, is alleged to have engaged in unlawful carnal knowledge of the minor between January 1, 2022, and June 10, 2023, at 13/15 Onoh Crescent, GRA Enugu.
The biological mother, Mrs. Christabel Enwelum, is accused of not protecting her daughter from the sexual assault, as confirmed by Dr. Samuel Ndukwu, a medical practitioner at the Nigerian Police Clinic State Headquarters, Enugu.
The minister's counsel, Chuma Oguejiofor, stated that the suit aims to enforce the fundamental human rights of the minor and serves as a public interest matter to promote decency and morality.
The suit, filed on November 17, 2023, seeks six prayers from the court, including declarations of the minor's entitlement to respect for her dignity and the infringement of her rights by Ifeanyi Enwelum's actions.
It also seeks orders for the ministry to take immediate custody of the minor, restraining the respondents from any involvement with her until the age of 21, and demanding N10 million in damages.
The minister had earlier expressed concern over the granting of bail to Ifeanyi Enwelum, questioning its rationale given the nature of the crime and the prevalence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the country, particularly in Enugu State.
In a press conference on October 17, she announced the ministry's intention to take legal action against the couple to ensure justice for the survivor and to serve as a deterrent to others engaging in similar actions.