Pastor allegedly rapes teenage girl, camps seven others
A pastor has been arrested in Akwa Ibom State for keeping eight teenage girls in a so-called deliverance centre and allegedly raping one of them said to be 15 years old, the police have said.
The police said the girls are between the ages of 13 and 16.
The pastor, identified as Inimfon Eyo Inyang, 33, was said to have also made an attempt to rape a 21 year old girl.
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Imohimi Edgal, who briefed reporters on Wednesday in Uyo about the development said the pastor was arrested on June 18 at Nung Atim Road, Off Idoro Road, Uyo, following a complaint.
Mr Edgal said 11 more persons have been arrested recently in the state for rape, including one Akpan Kingsley Effiong, 29, of No. 35 Abak Road, Uyo, who was said to have repeatedly raped his 14-year-old daughter and one Sampson Ndiana-Abasi accused of taking part in gang-raping an 11-year-old girl.
Another person, one Ime Sunday of Ekpene Obo, Esit Eket Local Government Area, was arrested on June 21 for serially raping his 16-year-old daughter since 2019.
Mr Edgal said the victim escaped from her home to a friend’s place in another local government area just so she could be out of her father’s reach. But she later returned home after she was persuaded by her father, only for him to rape her again multiple times, the commissioner said.
One Etebong Monday Harrison, 21, of Ikot Akpan Udo, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, was arrested on June 6 for raping a five-year-old girl, the police said.
The other rape cases, as presented by the police chief, are as follows:
“Consequent upon a distress call on 22/06/2020, Operatives of Oron Division apprehended one Emmanuel Okon Otu ‘m’, aged 30yrs old of Uko Nteghe, Mbo L.G.A.
“The suspect invaded a residence at No. 4 Secretariat Road, Oron at about 1:30am of the said date, where he had an unlawful carnal knowledge of a 28-yr-old lady at gunpoint, and thereafter robbed the victim of her Techno Spark 4 phone valued N42,000.00, one itel phone valued N9,000.00, one big towel valued N5,000.00 and the sum of N32,000.00.
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“Responding to a distress call on 20/06/2020 at about 6:37am, Operatives of Ibeno Division apprehended one Okon Okon Asuquo ‘m’, aged 23 years old of Uton Street, Ibeno L.G.A who dragged a 14-year-old minor from Uton Waterside to his house and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
“Relying of a credible information on 13/6/2020 at about 5:20pm, Operatives of ‘C’ Division arrested one Solomon Emmanuel Okon ‘m’ of No. 16 Johnson Street, Uyo who raped and assaulted a 28-yr-old lady on 12/6/2020 at the same address.
“Information received on 9/6/2020 by Operatives of Ibesikpo Asutan Division led to the apprehension of one Gospel Timothy ‘m’ of Atai Essien, Oruk Anam L.G.A.
“The suspect allegedly raped a 21-yr-old girl. Investigation revealed that the mother of the victim sent her on an errand; but she was waylaid by the suspect and forcefully taken to his house where he forcefully had unlawfully carnal knowledge of the victim.
“Following a tip-off on 21/06/2020 at about 1:00pm, Operatives of ‘A’ Division apprehended one Sunday Otema ‘m’ of Nelson Mandela Street, Uyo. Investigation revealed that the suspect lured a 10-yr-old girl to a bush and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
“Relying on a credible intelligence, on 18/06/2020 at about 3:00pm, Operatives of Essien Udim Division arrested one Ndiana Samuel John ‘m’ who forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old girl after inflicting a machete cut on her left hand in order to forestall her resistance.
“Following a reliable intelligence on 9/06/2020 at about 5:00pm, Operatives of Nsit Atai Division apprehended one Udo Ekong Esau ‘m’, aged 55 years old of Odot 1, Nsit Atai L.G.A. Investigation revealed that a 16-year-old girl who took refuge in the suspect’s house since November, 2019 due to mistreatment by her mother was defiled and impregnated by the suspect.
The police commissioner threatened to arrest and prosecute parents or guardians who send out their children to hawk in the streets.
There have been an increase in rape and other sex offences in Nigeria lately. Nigerian authorities have been under pressure to take firmer actions on the issue.
