The Rivers State Police Command has rescued a 15-year-old house help who was allegedly locked in a toilet for weeks at a residence in Abuloma, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
The teenager, identified simply as Amaechi and said to be from Ebonyi State, was rescued on Monday, September 14, following an alert raised by her landlord over her prolonged absence from public view.
The couple she was living with as a house help were arrested by operatives of the Abuloma Police Division and are currently assisting with investigations.
A source said the teenager was allegedly confined in the toilet for weeks over an undisclosed offence and was reportedly fed once daily with leftover food.
Another account stated that the girl’s cries attracted the attention of neighbours, who raised the alarm and prompted police intervention.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, said the landlord’s observation led to the teenager’s rescue.
Agabe said the landlord became suspicious after noticing that the girl had not been seen outside the residence for some time and subsequently alerted the police.
According to her, police operatives visited the house and found the teenager locked inside the toilet.
“She was their house help. We have contacted the family of the girl to come to the station,” Agabe said.
She confirmed that both the husband and wife had been arrested and were in police custody while investigation continues.
The police spokesperson also said the teenager would not be returned to the residence where she was allegedly confined.
“We asked the family of the girl to come to the station because the girl will not return to the house she was picked up from,” she added.
On whether the couple would be arraigned, Agabe said the police were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
