A 62-year-old man Muhammad Ujujud has been arrested by the operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP for chaining and locking up his 16-year-old daughter, Fatima, for two years.
Mr Ujudud, a resident of Rinji village in Madobi area of Kano State, punished the teenager for her alleged refusal to accept a husband he forced on her. The father locked Fatima and her brother, Shehu, in separate cells in his house.
According to DAILY NIGERIAN, the brother died in detention recently. A member of the community who secretly leaked the story to journalists explained that the man was notorious for meting out corporal punishment on his family and he was dreaded in the village.
According to the locals, Mr Ujudud only rarely fed his captive children. "He hardly gave them food to eat. They sleep and defecate in just one point," said a neighbor who preferred not to be named.
Appearing pale and ill, NAPTIP officials then took Fatima to a private hospital in Kano, where she is currently receiving treatments.
One of the sons of Mr Ujudud who fled his father’s way of punishment, confirmed that his brother Shehu starved to death in captivity. He added that his mother died few years ago and his father is now living with their step mother. The state commandant of NAPTIP, Shehu Umar, confirmed the arrest and detention of Mr Ujudud, saying investigation is currently ongoing.
