A father who defiled his 15-year-old daughter in Ikot Ubo, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom is among the five suspected rapists of minors cooling their feet in Akwa Ibom State Police Command awaiting prosecution.
The five suspects were seen carrying tags bearing their names, addresses, age and dates of committing the offence conspicuously attached to them.
The Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Fredrick Nnudam, who in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday in Uyo, said detectives of Ikot Ekpene Division on July 5, 2020 through a credible intelligence apprehended one Godwin Willie of Ikot Ubo, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area who forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of his 15-year-old daughter.
Nnudam said, “The fight against perpetrators of rape and other gender-based violence in Akwa Ibom State yielded another breakthrough as five (5) suspects were arrested in the State.
“Responding to a distress call on 20/5/2020, detectives of Abak Division arrested a motorcyclist, one Edidiong Daniel Tommy (31) who diverted a 16-year-old passenger to his house situated at No. 75 Hospital Road, in Abak Local Government Area where he conspired with one other suspect now at large and had unlawful carnal knowledge of the 16-year-old girl at gunpoint.
“The suspects thereafter dispossessed the victim of her Illy phone valued seventeen thousand naira (N17, 000.00) and the sum of fifty thousand naira (N50, 000.00).
“On 21/6/2020 at about 5 pm, following a complaint, Detectives of Eket Division arrested one Sam Akpan (30) of Atabong/Liverpool Road, Eket. “Investigation revealed that the suspect bought cooked cow skin a.k.a “kpomo” worth two hundred naira (N200.00) from a 10-year-old girl and thereafter lured her to his house on the pretext that he left the money at home. On reaching his house, he dragged the girl to his room and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.”
He added that “on June 26, 2020, following a tip-off, operatives of Area Command, Etim Ekpo arrested one Joseph Ekeruke Inyang (36yrs) of No. 1 Primary School Road, Utu Etim Ekpo in Etim Ekpo local government area who lured a 12-year-old girl with five hundred naira (N500.00) to his room where he had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
“Following a complaint on 25/6/2020, Operatives of Ikot Ekpene Division apprehended one Nsisong Moses Asuquo (34) of No.7 Okonah Street, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area who sexually defiled a 13-year-old girl.
“Investigation revealed that the suspect took the victim from her guardian to his home on the pretext of being a housemaid and severally defiled her before sending her away”
“The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command while reassuring the victims of rape and other gender-based violence of effective remedies and protection against stigmatization and threats as encapsulated in all extant laws, particularly in the Akwa Ibom State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020, warns all sexual predators to desist forthwith or risk constant arrest and prosecution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, sexual offenders, particularly rapists should be guided by the provisions of section 1(2) of the Akwa Ibom State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020, which stipulates a punishment of life imprisonment except where the offender is less than 16 years of age, the offender is liable to a maximum of 14years imprisonment,” he stated.
