Ebonyi Woman Uses 4-year-old Daughter as Collateral in N100k Loan

A 38-year-old lady, Veronica Igwe, reportedly offered her 4- year- old daughter, Uloma Igwe, to her creditor as collateral for her N100 debt in Ebonyi State

According to reports, Veronica owed one Nwali Josephine, N100 during transaction at Abakaliki Rice Mill in 2017. The woman insisted that she must be paid the money and Veronica decided to use one of her children in exchange of the money pending when she will pay back.

The Desk Officer in charge of Child Abuse /Maltreatment Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Cecilia Elom, said the ministry received an emergency call on Tuesday, informing them about the development. Elom said officials of the ministry rushed to the CAS campus of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki , where the alleged creditor resides.

“On reaching the residence , we saw little Uloma Igwe with another seven - year- old boy hawking . On interrogation , they confessed to have been lured into hawking by the creditor.

She maintained that she did not know the residence of the woman she handed her daughter to , but that the transaction took place at the rice mill where they do daily rice transactions.

Officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs invited Mrs . Josephine Nwali to the Office, from where she was handed over to the Ebonyi State Police Command for interrogation , ” Elom said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women Affairs has concluded arrangement to take little Uloma Igwe to hospital for proper medical treatment .