A 35-year-old man, Andrew Ekanem, has been arrested by the police for
allegedly raping his neighbour’s daughter in the Bariga area of Lagos
State.
The 14-year-old victim was still undergoing a six-month treatment for tuberculosis when she was attacked by the suspect on Monday morning.
The 14-year-old victim was still undergoing a six-month treatment for tuberculosis when she was attacked by the suspect on Monday morning.
The mother of the victim, Mrs. Adenike Aderinkomi, a trader, told Punch
that her daughter went to ease herself in the early hours of the
morning when she was cornered by the Cross River State indigene.
She claimed the suspect penetrated her daughter through the anus and vagina.
She claimed the suspect penetrated her daughter through the anus and vagina.
It was around 2am on Monday when my daughter woke up and said she wanted to go and ease herself.I was having my quiet time and didn’t know when I slept off. I woke up about 15 minutes later and didn’t see her in the room.I woke her father up and he said he didn’t know her whereabouts. We both became anxious and went outside to search for her.She said she was shouting her daughter’s name in the backyard, but did not get any response.Aderinkomi said about 10 minutes later, her husband saw their daughter coming out of Ekanem’s room.
“Another neighbour also joined us in the search.”
Her mother said she pulled her away from the growing crowd of neighbours and pressed her to talk.A police source told our correspondent that investigation revealed the suspect was fond of the act and usually induced his victims with money.
“My daughter became afraid. She then told me that while she was on her way to ease herself, Ekanem grabbed her and took her inside his room to sleep with her. She said while I was shouting her name, he covered her mouth.
“People seized him and wanted to beat him up. But I had to quickly report the matter to the police very early in the morning so people would not take the law into their hands,”
, “That was not his first time of doing such a thing. This particular girl, he had slept with her about three times. He was always giving her money ranging from N200 to N500.
“But this time, he was caught red-handed and that was why the girl’s parents are insisting on taking him to court. When he was queried, he didn’t give any reason for his behaviour. He’s just fond of sleeping with little girls.”
“She sustained bruises in her anus and vagina (as a result of) sexual assault.”Our correspondent was told that the victim had been taken to an undisclosed orthodox church for “prayers and deliverance”.
