32-yr-old man kidnapped, raped 16-yr-old girl as police attempt cover-up
A 16-yr-old girl, Peace James, who was kidnapped by one Mr Bawa from her father’s house in Gwagwalada, Abuja has been found five months later with an unwanted pregnancy.
Speaking exclusively to us at the Gwagwalada Police Area Command, Miss James who is an SS2 student said her kidnapper, who is the same person recommended for her parents to treat the bruises she sustained after a fire incident at her mom’s working place, threatened her and kidnapped her when she was alone in the house.
“When the ‘native doctor’ was treating my wounds, he invited me to his house but I refused, so he threatened to make my wounds bigger and rotten so I will smell and also warned that I don’t tell my parents else he will kill them.
One day, he came in a hijab when I was home alone because if the injury from the burns. He threatened to kill me and my parents if I don’t follow him; so out of fear, I allowed him to cover me with the hijab and he took me away.
“Repeatedly, he slept with me and also gave me out to his friends from whom he collected money whenever they sleep with me. He is usually at home and won’t let me go out. He always beats and insults me and when I told him I was pregnant, he beat me up and chased me out of the compound to go find a way to abort the pregnancy,” she narrated.
“I was sitting outside the compound when a neighbour who knew that my parents were looking for me notified my parents and they came and took me home,” she added.
Her father, Mr James, said his daughter had been missing for about five months, adding that he had searched everywhere in gwagwalada but couldn’t find her; so reported the matter to the Gwagwalada Police command.
“I lost my job while searching for her; we suspected the man treating her but he denied and won’t let me and my wife into his compound because he is Muslim. Meanwhile, my daughter was in his house all the while.
“When my neighbor reported to the police that he saw someone like my daughter the police called me because the description matched what I gave and that was how we rescued her.
“Right now, I don’t like the way the matter is being handled by the police. That was why I sought the help of Dorothy Njemanze Foundation after a colleague of mine gave me the contact. All I want is justice for my daughter,” he stressed.
First respondent on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) at the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Miss Positive Okorie, confirmed receiving the complain and is following the case, but expressed worry on how the case is being handled by the police; she however assured of ensure justice for the victim.
“The police need to stop trivialising issues of Sexual and Gender Based Violence because already a state of emergency has been declared on it but I don’t know why this particular police station is trivialising the issue and making it look like it is a normal thing.
“Since we got here, the police have been saying it is adoption and not rape or kidnap but handling issues this way further traumatises the victim.
“There is a sex offender register and this police station can start by registering the offenders name because he threatened and took advantage of a child and that is why in our petition we want this case to be transferred to the FCT command where the officer in charge of gender understands issues of SGBV because she is well trained,” she said.
However, all efforts to get the Area Commander at the station to speak was in vain as this reporter was merely asked to write a formal letter requesting for an interview and wait approval before he can respond.