7-Year-old Girl Abandoned, Battered, & seeking Justice
By Sampson Uhuegbu
In a heart-wrenching tale of betrayal and inhumanity, a 7-year-old girl, Success Oparaji, has become the victim of a cruel and harrowing ordeal, leaving her family and community in shock.
In August this year, Mr. and Mrs. Chibuzor and Kelechi Oparaji, parents of six children, entrusted their young daughter, Success, to Mrs. Chiamaka, a woman residing in Owerri. This arrangement, facilitated by a middlewoman, Mrs. Ugochi, came with the promise that Success would be enrolled in school and provided a better life. Success had been a bright pupil in Primary 3 at Town School, Ibeku, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, living under the loving care of her mother.
However, the promise soon turned into a nightmare. According to Success, after a brief stay in Owerri, Mrs. Chiamaka abruptly returned her to the home of Mrs. Ugochi, who was absent at the time, and left her there alone. With no one to care for her and no way to contact her family, the little girl found herself abandoned and wandering the Afor Ibeku Market Square, desperately searching for her siblings.
When found, Success bore visible signs of physical abuse and neglect. Her small body was marked with injuries, a testament to the unimaginable suffering she had endured. Her devastated mother, Mrs. Kelechi Oparaji, is now demanding justice for her daughter, whose trust and innocence have been cruelly shattered.
The case raises pressing questions about the exploitation of vulnerable families and the unchecked cruelty that some adults inflict on children under the guise of offering help. Success’s plight serves as a sobering reminder of the need for stronger child protection measures and accountability for those who prey on the trust of struggling families.
As the Oparaji family seeks justice, the community rallies around them, calling for authorities to ensure that those responsible for Success’s suffering are held accountable. The heartbreaking story of this little girl is a call to action for society to stand against all forms of child abuse and exploitation.
Humanity owes it to children like Success to ensure their safety, dignity, and future.
