Just In: Pure Water Hawker Allegedly Gang-raped In Ado Ekiti By Armed Men

Just In: Pure Water Hawker Allegedly Gang-raped In Ado Ekiti By Armed Men

The menace of rape among both young and the elderly as the culprit has become a matter of concerned on many fronts. More than 10 ladies have been raped and some killed within a month.

Today, three armed men allegedly gang-raped a 17-year-old street hawker at the Oja-Oba Market, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The victim, it was gathered, was hawking sachet water on Monday when the men, who were said to be armed with broken bottles, accosted her and took her to a corner in the market, where they forcefully had carnal knowledge of her around 7 pm.

The victim was reportedly rushed to the hospital for treatment after the incident.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said two suspects had been arrested, adding that efforts were on to apprehend the third member of the gang. “The girl was hawking sachet water when the incident happened around 7 pm on Monday. The suspects are friends; we have arrested two of them, while the third is still at large. An investigation is ongoing,” Abutu stated.

The rape incident comes days after a 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omozuwa, was raped and killed inside a church in Benin City, Edo State.

There were also reports that also on Monday, an 18-year-old student of the Federal College of Animal and Production Technology, Moore Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, has suffered the same fate.

The teenager, Barakat Bello, who was undertaking the National Diploma programme in Science Laboratory Technology, was reportedly attacked on Monday.

It was gathered that the attack on Barakat took place at her home in the Akinyele area of Ibadan.

Initial reports had it that her corpse was found near the house.

The father of the deceased, Kasimu Elepo, told Sahara Reporters that he was not at home when the incident occurred.

He stated that the deceased’s sister was also out of the house when the tragic incident occurred.

According to him, the sister found Barakat’s body in a pool of her own blood at the back of the house when she returned from Quranic lessons.

Elepo said, “I was not at home when the incident happened. The victim’s younger sister was not at home too; she went for Quranic lessons, but when she returned home, she saw Barakat at the back of the house with deep cuts all over her body. She had been raped and killed. “Somebody called me on the phone that I should come home, but he refused to tell me what happened. When I got home, I saw that my daughter had been raped and hacked to death.”

In a similar development, the police in Calabar has arrested a retired army officer, age 73, for raping 4-year-old niece in Calabar, River State.

The suspect, identified as Bassey Ekanem, 73-year-old resides at 12 Edim Ibangaha Street, Big Qua Town, Calabar.

According to Vanguard, the septuagenarian retired in service as a captain in the Army.

Bassey is currently in Police custody and has blamed his action on alcohol. According to him, ‘influence of alcohol and couldn’t understand why he committed the act.

The four years old victim was violated by the Uncle whom she calls grandpa.

A neighbour who pleaded to remain anonymous gave a little narration on the incident.

Just In: Pure Water Hawker Allegedly Gang-raped In Ado Ekiti By Armed Men

The neighbour said, “He (the suspect) had sent the lady living with him to the market.

“Then he lured the little girl into his apartment and started fingering her and broke her hymen in the process.

“It was the victims younger brother who is about 2 years who told their mother that grandpa put her hand inside her sister’s “bum-bum” before their mother raised alarm and the matter was reported to Akim police station,” the neighbour added.

Meanwhile, authorities have transferred the matter from the Akim Police Station to the State Headquarters.

The Principal Counsel, Basic Right Council Initiative, James Ibor Esq, confirmed he is aware of the case.

Reacting, Ibor said he is appalled by the increase in the number of rape cases every day.

He said; “I am heartbroken and appalled by the increasing number of rape every day in Calabar and beyond.

“The Child Rights Act really needs to be implemented to the latter because the girl child is going through a lot.

“This particular matter cannot be swept under the carpet and the suspect must face the full wrath of the law even though they are related.

“In most cases, when the case is gaining momentum, a lot of pressure starts coming in for the matter to become compromised especially when it has to do with a relative.”

“He is now in police custody and we expect our officers to do a thorough job because this is one too many in the rape saga ravaging the country.

“It didn’t start today but it’s high time people started speaking up, rape is a serious crime,” he said.

Ibor also confirmed that the victim admitted to committing the crime.

He said, “it is only the court that can determine whether he had the capacity to carry out the act as there are claims he was under the influence of alcohol at the time he committed the abominable act.

This is following the unfortunate rape and murder of two 100 level students, Vera and Barakat.

The menace of Rape in the country should be curtailed to avoid the ugly trend.