By Uzo Ugwunze
A widow, and mother of a minor, aged 15, who was allegedly and wrongfully accused, tortured and deflowered by a team of Vigilante, has appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, and state Commissioner of Women, Children and Social welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo to come to her rescue and get a justice for her.
Two out of three local vigilante operatives at Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, who allegedly tortured and raped a 15-year-old girl, Miss Glory Joseph, are cooling off at police head quarters, Awka, state capital.
Narrating the ordeal of her daughter to newsmen, the mother to the victim, Mrs Helen Joseph, a widow, said, ” I am a widow and mother of six, from Makurdi, Benue State, We live at Nkpor, on the fateful day three vigilante operatives and a girl stormed my apartment, and the girl accused my daughter of removing #13,000 she kept in a particular place and my daughter told them that she did not understand what they were saying and didn’t take any money.
“Immediately they started beating her and dragged her to their torture camp. That day was like hell to me because she is my only daughter and they kept deaf ears to all my pleas that they should release her.
“Then in the night they tortured her and their leader raped her while others held her. Early in the morning the next day they dumped her at the gate of our compound with blood all over her body and she couldn’t talk because she was unconscious.
” Had no option than to rush to Ogidi police station and one of them, the one that raped her, was arrested and the police took my daughter to hospital where it was confirmed that she was raped.
“At the Ogidi Police station, instead of the police to arrest the remaining two, they tried to release the one they arrested without tangible reason and I had to get in touch with the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, and the case was transferred to Awka.
“At Awka, the police arrested one more, making them two as the one at Ogidi was brought to Awka. The leaders of the vigilante group and friends to the vigilante group approached and begged me to take #50,000 and I said no that I want justice for my daughter. Next day they came and. Pleaded with #100000 and I said I want justice and they boasted to me that since I refused to take #100000 that they will give it to police and those arrested will be released and true to their words, the two who were detained have been released.
“Because I don’t have anybody on my side, the police told me that they will come to Nkpor and interview people on the incident. Luckily for me, a neighbour, has confessed to me that it was her daughter that removed the controversial #13,000 and and not my daughter and begged me to forgive her.
“I am pleading to Governor Soludo, Commissioner of Police and Human Affairs Commissioner, Hon. Ify Obinabo to come to my rescue before they deny me justice as my daughter now lives in pains,” she pleaded.
Contacted, the state PPRO, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation is on going.
