By John Ugo, Awka
Three persons have been arrested in Anambra State by operatives of National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) working in collaboration with vigilante operatives for raping a 13 years old girl.
An aide to the Commissioner for Women and Social Affairs, Chidimma Ikeanyionwu who disclosed the arrest, said the suspects have been handed over to the police, and would be charged to court soon.
Ikeanyionwu said: “According to the victim, the suspects were co-tenants with the victim but they took her to Nkisi river to rape her after they had an altercation with her father.
“The victim while narrating her experience to the commissioner said she was first slapped by the boys, then dragged to Nkisi before she was ordered to remove her clothes as the suspects took turns to have carnal knowledge of her.”
It was gathered that the victim hails from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State, while the names of the suspects were given as; Sunday, Emelie, Chiedu and Nwa Awọ.
The fourth suspect, Nwa Awọ allegedly escaped when security operatives invaded the neighborhood at Nkpor, near Onitsha, to arrest them.
Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo lauded the victim for her courage in speaking up after the incident and assured her that she will ensure she gets justice.
The Women and Social Welfare Commissioner expresses her displeasure over the increasing rate of rape incidents in the state and warned that the Professor Chukwuma Soludo led administration would not condone the menace.
Hon. Obinabo also commended officials of the National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Nigeria Police Force and Anambra Vigilante Group for their efforts at ensuring that these suspects were apprehended.
While interrogating the suspects, two amongst the suspects confessed to the crime and pleaded that they be forgiven.
One of them said he was only present when the incident happened but contrary to his claims, the victim insisted that he was the second person to have carnal knowledge of her.
They pointed out that they decided to rape the girl due to the disagreement they had with the girl’s father.
Although they have been handed over to the Police State CID Awka, they would be arraigned in court for prosecution.
