NAPTIP rescues girl scalded with hot water in Abuja, after neighbours raised alarm; agency vows to prosecute all involved in the assault

The 16-year-old domestic worker was saved following a tip-off from concerned neighbours, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons announced on Friday.

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According to the agency, the teenager, originally from Imo State and the eldest of 12 siblings, had been employed to care for her employer’s three children, including two-month-old twins and a seven-year-old boy.

Reports indicate that during an altercation, the employer poured hot water on the girl, leaving her badly injured. Neighbours who witnessed the assault rushed her to hospital before alerting NAPTIP, which launched a swift rescue operation.

In a statement shared on its official Facebook page, NAPTIP condemned the act as “heinous” and confirmed that an investigation is under way. The agency stressed that all those involved will “face the full weight of the law.”

This latest incident adds to a disturbing pattern of hot water assaults reported in recent years. In February 2022, a woman in Ogun State, identified as Ramota Soliu, allegedly killed her husband after dousing him with boiling water.

Similarly, in September 2023, a landlord named Michael was accused of pouring hot water on an 11-year-old girl in Mowe, Ogun State.

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NAPTIP reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and urged members of the public to continue reporting cases of abuse to help stamp out domestic violence and exploitation.