When she set out of her home to go to church for a vigil, she never imagined the fate that befell her shortly afterwards. The 16-year-old girl had left her 21, Deji Oworu Street home in the Alapere Ketu area, hoping to go to the church to sing praises and pray to God that fateful night.
Clutching her Bible, she sauntered towards the church. But midway, five hefty men emerged from the shadows and went for her! Having captured her, the men ferried her into a nearby uncompleted building, where they took turns in raping her!
Our correspondent gathered that the five men, who gang-raped the teenager, (names withheld), had accosted her at the Oshogun area, around Alapere at about 7:30 pm, before forcing her into an uncompleted building, where they forcibly had carnal knowledge of her.
We met one of them (the suspects) on top of the girl, while the four others held her arms and legs. As we entered the building, they all fled, but we managed to get hold of one of them. We beat him mercilessly and handed him over to the police
The victim, who has just finished her senior secondary school education, lives with her parents in Alapere.
It was learnt that the suspects had threatened to kill the victim with a knife, if she refused to cooperate with them.
However, as the suspects were allegedly carrying out the criminal act, some residents, who were attracted by the teenager’s distress cries, rushed to the scene and rescued her.
One of the suspects, it was gathered, was caught by the residents pants down raping the victim.
The alleged sexual assault left the 16-year-old deflowered.
The suspects reportedly took to their heels, when the residents rushed to the scene.
Our correspondent gathered that the floor of the uncompleted building, where the incident took place, was blood-soaked, as the victim’s gown and underwear were also stained with blood.
She was said to have taken the blood-stained gown and underwear to the police as evidence, when she went to report the incident to the security agency.
Findings from the residents also revealed that one of the suspects, simply identified as Labalaba, was arrested and handed over to the police.
Speaking to our correspondent, the victim’s mother, Mrs. Promise Emeka, said, “They raped my daughter; they wanted to kill her for me. Those wicked boys must not go unpunished. They must all be found, arrested and prosecuted.”
The distraught mother said the case was immediately reported at the Alapere Police Division.
Recalling how she was abused, the traumatised victim said, sobbing, “I was going to a vigil at Oshogun, when the five men approached me. They said I should follow them and that if I don’t they would kill me. So, they took me to one uncompleted building, where they raped me.
“I was shouting and crying aloud. Fortunately, some residents, who heard my voice, came and saved me. One of them was arrested.”
When contacted, the victim’s father, simply identified as Mr. Emeka, declined to comment on the incident, but said, “All want I want is that those wicked boys must be brought to book for violating my
daughter.”
One of the residents, who rushed to the scene of the crime to rescue the teenager, said, “I was hearing the cries, but I didn’t know where it was coming from until another neighbour traced the cries to the building and we rushed there.
“We met one of them (the suspects) on top of the girl, while the four others held her arms and legs. As we entered the building, they all fled but we managed to get hold of one of them. We beat him mercilessly and handed him over to
the police.”
Another resident, Mrs. Bola Makinwa, said, “It was an unfortunate incident. The girl is a quiet person. Those guys must have been watching her because she is a fine girl. And that road where she was forced to the uncompleted building before being raped is a very lonely area. We have had cases
of thefts and similar bad activities in that place.”
“The police should beef up security in that area to forestall further occurrence of such a menace. And the other boys who raped the girl should be arrested and charged to court for prosecution.”
The victim had already been taken to a government health facility for treatment.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Chike Oti, confirmed the incident to our correspondent, saying that one of the suspects was arrested while others had been on the run.
“We have one of the suspects in custody. We will ensure that others are arrested and brought to book,” Oti said.
