A 14-year-old girl (name withheld) who was allegedly gang-raped by seven suspected cultists at Ogboli village in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State has narrated her ordeal in the hands of her rapists. The girl who had to go through a week-long intensive medical examination and treatment at a government hospital in Asaba, told members of the State Child’s Rights Implementation Committee and Sexual Offences Unit of the Ministry of Justice that she was beaten and repeatedly raped by one Aboy Nwaise, Sunday, Michael, Abraham, Uche, Jungle Boy and another who were supposed to be her big brothers in her neighbourhood.

According to her, they are tenants in Nwaise’s family compound and usually they run errands for Aboy’s father who usually gives them money in appreciation, adding that Aboy’s mother had earlier threatened to deal with her through the son but she never thought it would be through rape.

Narrating her ordeal, she said “on this fateful day, Aboy’s father, one Mr. Otu Nwaise had returned home from work after it had rained briefly. He noticed that there was water in their house and none of his children was at home to help him clean up. He beckoned on me to help sweep the water out of the house, which I did. Then the next day, the man came back from work, called me and gave me N500 for helping him sweep the house the previous day. This was the money the wife saw him giving to me that made her accuse me of sleeping with her husband.

“My mother and I including the woman’s husband were surprised because we have always lived as family and the man had always given money to us the children when we run errands for him. The next thing she slapped me twice and snatched the money from my hand. Even when my mother was begging her, she didn’t listen, instead, she was threatening to further deal with me. Then a day after, I was returning home from my auntie’s shop where I went to pick my younger brother around 7pm, when the said Aboy accosted me and started interrogating me about what transpired the previous day between me and his mother.

“While I was trying to explain, Aboy told me to take my brother home and come back so we could resolve the issue sitting, instead of standing. So I obliged. On returning, Aboy asked that we go to his friend’s house nearby to sort things out, and I followed him, trusting him as a big brother. On getting to the house there were two other boys in there, smoking. And I pleaded with Aboy to quickly talk to me so I could leave because I was allergic to smoke. But he asked me to hold on a little. Then again, four other boys came into the room and the next thing Aboy did was to lock the door and put the music that was playing on the highest volume. He then asked me to pull my cloth.

“At this point, I started pleading with him to allow me go, but instead, he slapped me and hit my head on the wall and forced me naked. That was when all the boys in the room started taking turns in raping me while the music was very loud that nobody could hear me screaming for help. There was a friend of theirs who they didn’t allow in because he was telling them that what they were doing was wrong. It was this friend that helped me home after they were done raping me and opened the door for me to go with a threat to kill me if I ever mentioned them,” she said

Another source that spoke on a condition of anonymity said the sight was horrible when the mother saw her daughter in a pool of blood and had raised alarm that attracted neighbours who assisted her to rush the girl to the hospital around 12am where they were referred to the Central Hospital in Asaba.

They also made an official report at the Divisional Police Station in Issele-Uku, where the DPO deployed a patrol team to accompany them to Asaba around 3 am that day and the case had since been transferred to the State Police Command.

The police are presently on the trail of the alleged rapists, including Aboy’s mother who also is on the run while Aboy’s father, Mr Nwaise Otu, said he was assisting the police to track his son for arrest, condemning the actions of his wife and son who he claims had been a thorn in his flesh.

While praying that his son is caught and made to face the law for his crime, Nwaise said he had earlier reported his son to the Anti Cult outfit to arrest him and deal with him for being a cultist, adding that the said the boy had severally threatened his life, calling him ‘a Ju man.’

Meanwhile, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Peter Mrakpor has assured that the state would get justice for the victim, adding that he would ensure she gets proper medical attention, rehabilitation and will be relocated from that area.

Also speaking, a member of the State Child’s Rights Implementation Committee, Comrade Patrick Ochei who was detailed to follow up with the case, commended the Attorney General for responding to the situation through the Sexual Offences Unit of the Justice Ministry, adding that “the victim being a child will definitely get justice. The Committee is poised to do everything within its powers and capacities to prosecute the case to a logical conclusion. The Committee will come up with a programme on how the girl will be rehabilitated. This is the time to show her all the love she deserves including assigning a professional counsellor to aid her emotional healing,” he said. (Adapted from Vanguard)

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