Rape cases on the rise despite public outcry

Despite public outcry in Nigeria, rape cases have continued to increase on a daily basis, Daily Trust Saturday reports. The police in Anambra State have arrested a 30-year-old man, Sunday Akanigbo for allegedly raping a 12 year-old girl in Amakwa Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government. His accomplice, Ikemefuna Muoma, who filmed the ugly act, was […]

Despite public outcry in Nigeria, rape cases have continued to increase on a daily basis, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

The police in Anambra State have arrested a 30-year-old man, Sunday Akanigbo for allegedly raping a 12 year-old girl in Amakwa Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government. His accomplice, Ikemefuna Muoma, who filmed the ugly act, was also arrested.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Friday, said the suspect allegedly defiled the girl in April  2020.

“On June 18, 2020, at 1:45pm, police operatives attached to Ozubulu division arrested one Sunday Akanigbo, aged 30 years. His accomplice, one Ikemefuna Muoma, aged 28 years, of same address, was also arrested for filming the dastardly act,’’ he said.

He said the suspects had confessed to the crime and the video recovered from them as an exhibit.

He also said the victim was taken to a hospital for medical examination.

Meanwhile, the  commissioner of police in the state, John B. Abang, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka for necessary action, after which the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

Also, in Oyo State, residents are still baffled at the untimely deaths of three students of high institutions in the same Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

The husband of one of the victims, Azeezat Somuyiwa, Ridwanullahi Dhikrullah, who lives in Kano, told our correspondent that his late wife travelled to Ibadan to collection her postgraduate degree certificate.

He explained that Azeezat could not go back to Kano because of the interstate lockdown imposed across the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He described the late Azeezat as an easygoing person, accommodating and understanding, adding that her co-tenants claimed not to be aware of when the incident happened.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that all the tenants have been arrested while the house is under lock and key.

Dhikrullah urged the government and security agencies to ensure that the culprits are arrested and brought to justice.

Another victim, who was allegedly raped and murdered in a church in the same local government area, Grace Oshiagwu, was a student of Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, also in the state.

The pastor of the church where she was allegedly killed, Kayode Ishola, told Daily Trust Saturday that the incident did not happen in the church but a house behind it.

He alleged that about 11:40am on Saturday, June 13, the victim’s younger sister left the house, located behind the church, and told her to lock the door. According to him, few hours later, her sister went back home, only to discover that her elder sister could not respond to calls.

The pastor said, “When she told us about the development, we went to the house and knocked severally, but there was no response. She went to the window side to knock, but there was still no response.

“We managed to open the ceiling so as to have access to the apartment, only to find out that she had been killed. There was a bad cut on her head.’’

Also speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the mother of another victim, Barakat Bello, an 18-year-old student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, who was allegedly murdered after resisting attempts to rape her, said those who killed her daughter had destroyed the hope of the family.

Her parents, whose uncompleted house is located in an isolated and bushy area of Akinyele, however, said they had left the killers of their daughter to the hand of God.

Again, in Adogi village, located in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, a three-month-old baby, Rukayya Adamu, was defiled.

Maimuna Adam, the mother of the victim, said she was receiving treatment in the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

“The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 27. When I suddenly woke up around 3am, I found out that my baby was missing. I checked my phone, which was also close to me before I slept, but it was also missing.

“I shouted and people in the compound and others woke up to come to my aid. Both men and women of the village trooped out and went in search of the baby.

“She was found in an uncompleted building, bleeding, with her pants kept aside. Everywhere across her private part was blood, so we rushed her to the hospital,’’ she narrated.

Speaking to our correspondent on the rising cases of rape in Nigeria, a former secretary to the Nasarawa State Government and Amirat of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) in the state, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, expressed deep concern and called for collective efforts to tackle it through proper legislation.

When contacted, the public relations officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Nasarawa State said, “We used to receive about 10 cases of rape monthly. But it is strictly confidential so as to protect the victims against stigmatisation.

“We have charged more than half of such cases to court and others are under investigation.’’

Also, the spokesperson of the Nasarawa police command, ASP Ramhan Nansel said, “The case of the three-month-old Rukayya Adamu has not been reported to the police in Nasarawa, but we are still investigating the matter.

“From January till date, we have 20 reported cases of rape. They have taken 15 to court. We are investigating five cases while 16 suspects have been arrested.’’

Similarly, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, said they would enact a stringent law that would protect women against rape in the interest of peace and the overall development of the state and the country in general.

He said that if enacted, the law would not only protect the women against rape but also severely punish those found to have committed the crime, adding that this would serve as deterrent to prospective offenders.

“Cases of rape are at an alarming rate in this country. What is happening to our mothers, wives and daughters is sad and unfortunate,’’ he said.

He said the Nasarawa State House of Assembly would collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to tackle the issue of rape against women.

Meanwhile, Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi A, Sule, wife of the governor of Nasarawa State, has taken the complete responsibility of all the hospital bills of the three-month-old child.

Furthermore, the police in Bauchi State have arrested 20 criminals, including suspected rape syndicates, who also allegedly sodomise children and adults.

A statement signed by the public relations officer of the command, DSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakili read that on June 10, 2020, following a tipoff, police operatives arrested one Abdullahi Muazu, 32, and Adamu Idris, 22, all suspected members of a syndicate operating in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of the state.

“The suspects were arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse against the order of nature.

“Upon investigation, they confessed and mentioned their accomplices as follows: one 60-year-old Alhaji Ahmed Azare, a lecturer in Aminu Sale Collage of Education, Azare; Ishyaku Hassan, 48, attached to the Katagum Emirate Council; Babangida Hashimu, 24; Kamal Ismail, 22; Misbahu Ibrahim, 24; and Sadiq Shehu, all males from Azare. They were also arrested.’’

The statement also disclosed the arrest of a 28-year-old Gwanda Amos of Unguwan Mariam, Tafawa  Balewa Local Government Area, who is said to have raped eight female children.

According to the statement, “On January 1, 2020, one 35-year-old Roseline Taimako and seven others jointly reported at the divisional headquarters, that sometime in April, they noticed unusual feelings from their daughters – Hadasa Taimako, 7; Gyalchong Joshua, 5; Precious Dintuyi, 5; Alisan Amos, 4; Luchong Habila; Asaneth Fhuq, 4; Jakile Dinka, 4; and Rachael Yohanna, 8, all females.

“They said the children often cried of pains in their genitals each time they were having their bath. Upon inquiry, the child of the first complainant revealed that it was their uncle, Gwanda Amos, of same address that usually called them into his room and forcefully had sexual intercourse with them.”

The complainant further said her daughter told her that the suspect threatened to kill them if they exposed him. He was subsequently arrested.

The statement continued, “On April 4, 2020, one Ibrahim Salihu Umar of Makama New Extension, Federal Low-cost Estate, Bauchi, reported at the ‘D’ Division that Yusuf Saleh, 36, of Zango area, lured his younger brother, one Umar Ibrahim,  20, into an uncompleted building located at the same address and forcefully had sexual intercourse with him.

“The suspect was arrested and he subsequently confessed to the crime.’’

Also, on June 16, 2020, one Hamza Idris of Tudun Salmanu reported that Usman Mohammed of same address forcefully had carnal knowledge of his daughter, Basma Hamza, 7, in his house. According to the statement, the police swung into action and arrested the suspect, who equally confessed to the crime.