By Olayinka Owolabi
The Anambra State Government has arraigned a woman, Mrs Anulika Nwokike Onyeanusi, before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court of the High Court of Anambra State over alleged sexual abuse of her two daughters, aged seven and nine, and the alleged exploitation of one of the children for pornographic content for financial gain.
The defendant was arraigned on a 14-count charge by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions and other lawyers from the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit of the state Ministry of Justice.
The alleged offences occurred between November 2025 and September 2026 at the defendant’s residence on Ezego Ojoto Street, Akpaka GRA, Onitsha.
The charges were brought under provisions of the Anambra State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017, and the state’s Child’s Rights Law, 2006.
Meanwhile, the defendant has pleaded not guilty to a 14-count charge before the court.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Peace Otti ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Centre, while the case was adjourned until November 27, 2026, for further proceedings.
The government, in a statement issued on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Dr Law Mefor, reaffirmed its determination to protect children and ensure that those accused of sexual and gender-based violence are brought before the law.
It said the prosecution underscored the state’s commitment to strengthening child protection mechanisms and pursuing allegations of abuse through established legal procedures.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Justice, through its Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit, continues to handle cases involving alleged abuse as part of the government’s broader efforts to safeguard vulnerable persons and uphold their rights.
The statement added that the state government would continue to support initiatives aimed at protecting children, preserving their dignity and ensuring that allegations of abuse receive the necessary legal attention.
“As a government, we will continue to support efforts to protect children, uphold their dignity and ensure that allegations of abuse receive the necessary legal attention,” the statement said.
The government also called for collective responsibility in protecting children, stressing that cases of abuse should not be concealed or ignored.
“Protecting our children is a collective responsibility. Silence must never shield abuse, and every child deserves safety, dignity and protection,” it stated.
