A thirteen years old girl has been narrating how her bricklayer father has been having forceful sexually intercourse with since 2019.
The girl stated that her father started raping her since last year. She first reported the case to her stepmother.
“My stepmother confronted my father but he beat her and the woman had to run away from the home,” the girl narrated.
Narrating her ordeal further, the victim, who broke down in tears, accused her father of forcefully having sex with her mainly in the night, and almost on a daily basis.
She said that her father’s friend, one Mr Michael, from Ikot Udoma village, also attempted to rape her, but he ran away when she raised alarm.
“My father forcefully abused me sexually. This occurs almost on daily basis in spite of my resistance and the pains and injury I sustained from the ungodly act.
“Initially, I reported the case to my stepmother who confronted my father, but she was beaten and this made her flee from my father’s house.
“When the whole thing became unbearable for me, I ran and reported to the police, which led to his first arrest, but my aunt, who did not believe my story, intervened and he was released on bail.
“After his release, I did not have any option than to return to the house and stay with my father.
“The matter grew from bad to worse. It was the darkest moment in my life. This time my father did not allow me to sleep, he forcefully abused me through out the night.
“It was coming on daily basis. Since nobody was there to help, I decided to run away from my father’s house.
Thus, police from the Divisional Headquarters in Eket Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom, arrested Mr Godwin Jeremiah, the suspect.
Mr Sunday Digha, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), disclosed this to newsmen in Eket, during the arrest of Jeremiah on Saturday, 25 April, 2020.
Digha said the suspect started harassing his daughter sexually since last year, and was arrested after she reported the case to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Eket.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the DPO was accompanied by the wife of the Eket Local Government Chairman, Mrs Bright Archibong, and President, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), in Akwa Ibom, Mrs Emem Ette, to arrest the alleged suspect.
“The suspect is currently being detained at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Eket, for further investigations,” Digha said.
He said that Jeremiah’s friend, who also allegedly attempted to rape the victim, was at large and the police were looking for him.
In his response, Jeremiah said said that his daughter, who used to sleep on the same bed with him, just decided to run away from the house without any reason.
Also speaking, Archibong condemned the act, saying that the suspect’s arrest would serve as a deterrent to others.
“It is the worst thing a person can do to a child, especially a father to his daughter. What could have caused a father to rape his daughter?
She said that the girl was safe and now staying at a recognised government home, and had been taken to a doctor, who had checked to confirm her health status.
Ette, on her part, warned that every rapist would not go unpunished as they would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
She said that after police had concluded its investigations, the law would takes it full course.
“We have also had lots of cases of women defiling their sons, this is the worst that can ever happen to a child, and we want to advise parents to desist from such acts,” Ette said.
(NAN)
