The Abia State Police Command has apprehended a 48-year-old man, Agbuagwu Augustine, and his son, Chigozie, on charges of fatally assaulting the man’s 18-year-old daughter, Uzoamaka, in Umuobiala, Isikwuato Local Government Area.
Uzoamaka, a Senior Secondary School, SSS, 3 student at Queen of Apostles Catholic Church school, Umuobiala, had been on a scholarship sponsored by a U.S.-based Nigerian, Winson Tinubu, since 2018.
The suspects allegedly beat her on December 4, 2023, breaking her spinal cord, which resulted in her inability to attend school for nearly a month.
Her benefactor, Tinubu, expressing shock from Miami, Florida, called for a thorough investigation, questioning the severity of the beating.
Speaking with Vanguard, he highlighted the positive educational arrangement he had in place for Uzoamaka and three other girls, emphasizing the tragedy’s unexpected nature.
“I have been very happy with the arrangement I have in Abia. The four girls were admitted to a good school – Queen of Apostles Catholic School in their village of Umuobiala. I would remit their school fees and other payments through my friend Kathy, (who had since relocated to the U.K) and her family in Nigeria.
“The money for school fees, school uniforms, books and other miscellaneous items for four pupils was a small fortune in the local currency, but not much when I sent it in dollars. In fact, this year (2024), there are plans to add four more students.
“In return, I get frequent photos and videos of the girls and their exam report cards. I was a very proud ‘father,’ and it gave me an immense feeling of satisfaction. I could not wait for these young ladies to grow up and be able to pass this gift to others. Their WAEC exam was coming up. Everything was working out perfectly. I could never have imagined what had happened.
“On the morning of January 17, 2024, I received a text from Kathy in the U.K saying that Uzoamaka was sick. She had been beaten so severely by her older brother and as a result, was paralysed down one side of her body and bedridden.
“Apparently, it happened three weeks earlier. They found out because the principal had visited her home to find out why she had been absent from school for so long.
“Uzoamaka’s family had not taken her to the hospital nor obtained any form of help, leaving her to languish at home. My first response was that it was a Police matter. To be beaten up to the point of paralysis was nothing to be taken lightly. At the same time, my friend’s mother was on her way to visit the principal of Uzoamaka’s school, to see if they could use his vehicle to transport her to the hospital.”
Abia State Police Command spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the arrests and stated that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, while the deceased’s body was deposited at the morgue.
