By Pascal Ibe
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has directed speedy investigation of the gang rape case of a 16 years at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State.by three men.
This followed a petition filed by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC)) weeks ago after the family of the victim raised alarm over alleged threat to their lives and unending intimidation by the suspects.
Recall that Crimefacts news reported on Tuesday that the Zone 9 police command Umuahia is yet to arrest suspects who allegedly gang raped a16 year old girl (name withheld) in Adakam village at Amumara in Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State, after seven months the incident happened.
But in a a letter dated 15th July, 2024 and addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 9 headquarters, the IG Egbetekun directed the AIG Zone 9 Umuahia to complete all aspect of the investigation relating to the case without further delay.
The letter signed by DCP Asuquo Effiong, the Principal Staff Officer II To Inspector-General of Police, also asked the AIG to invite comment from the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command and furnish his comments
The letter reads in part, “Find attached copy of letter dated 8th July 2024 received from Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre on the above underlined subject.“
Background
On May 3rd, CrimeFacts news reported that in order to avert justice, the traditional ruler of Adakam village at Amumara in Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze O.B Nwokocha, allegedly connived with the area Police Division Officer, Essiet Onuimo to hide three men who gang raped a minor at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Local Government Area of Imo State.
Speaking exclusively with he Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC)), its executive director, Okechukwu Nwangunma told crimefacts.news that the ugly incident happened in December 2023.
crimefacts.news gathered that in December 2023, a minor was returning from a church program at Obibi village in Adakam Amumara, Ezinihite Mbaise Local Government Area, when three devil-may-care men forcefully took her to an uncompleted building, gangraped and defiled her.
This newspaper learnt that the case was reported at the Ezinihitte Mbaise Divisional Police Headquarters, by the Chief Security Officer Amumara Okechukwu Ikenna Inyama.
According to Nwangunma, RULAAC tried to speak with the DPO to ensure that investigation of the serious crime was not compromised. The DPO and his team continued to dillydally and are yet to arrest the suspects till date.
After CrimeFacts. news reported how the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ezinihite Mbaise police station protected suspects who gang raped a 16 year old girl in 2023, it wa learnt he has been removed.
A reliable source informed this newspaper that Essiet Onuimo was transferred after outrage on the role he played to shield the suspects.
But CrimeFacts news is yet to independently verify this as at time of filling this report.
In the statement by RULAAC n July 10, the group narrated that on December 9, 2023, the Apostolic Church Amumara, in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA Imo State, held its convention, which lasted beyond midnight into the early hours of the next day. Some young girls who attended the convention decided to stay back inside the church until dawn before going home as they considered it unsafe to go home at those wee hours.
”One of the girls, 16 years old as of the date, became a victim of a gang-rape by three (3) men who were among those engaged by the church as security guards during the convention.
(Name withheld), the distraught mother of the girl, from Eziala Amumara narrated in a detailed voice note, how she had asked her daughter and another girl, her daughter’s friend, both of whom attended the convention together, to stay back in the church for safety if it was too late for them to return home after the church program. Ironically, the church precinct considered a safe haven turned out to be a zone of danger for the girls who had attended the church’s program.
On why the police are yet to arrest the suspects who allegedly gang raped a 16 year old girl, the Zone 9 police command spokesperson, DSP Bruno Iheanetu stated said they are ready to do their Job.
”All we need to is a pointer that will lead us to the village in order to arrest these suspects.”
The Zone 9 Spokesperson, DSP Bruno Iheanetu urged the victim and her mother come to forward with necessary information that will the assist the police in their investigation.
He assured that the victim and her mother will be protected.
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