Six people have allegedly gang-raped a 19-year-old girl in Anam, a community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The six suspects are between the ages of 16 and 27 years old.
One suspect reportedly filmed the rape of the victim while it lasted.
Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
The statement did not indicate when the incident happened.
Ms Ikeanyionwu said the commissioner has arrested the suspects and subsequently handed them over to the police in the state.
She gave the names of the arrested suspects as Afam Ezenwa, Chijioke Ifeanyi, Collins Obadom, Abuchi Okechukwu, Chima Obiekezie and Sunday Okafor.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department of Police for investigation and prosecution, according to the statement.
The commissioner’s intervention in the matter followed a video clip which surfaced online showing the victim being raped by the suspects, Ms Ikeanyionwu stated.
‘How they ambushed, gang raped me’ – victim
The victim (name withheld) told Mrs Obinabo that the suspects ambushed her along the road and dragged her to a room where they took turns to rape her.
She said despite her pleas, the suspects continued to rape her without stopping while one of them filmed the act.
In tears, she recalled that she was initially rescued by some neighbours who heard her shouting for help. But while she headed home, some suspects accosted and attacked her.
The suspects, according to the victim, forced her to undress before raping her again amidst threats to kill her if she resisted.
A passerby, who saw her helpless along the road, would later take her to her family house.
Commissioner speaks
Mrs Obinabo, while interacting with the parents, lamented the rising rate of crime carried out against women and girls in the state.
The commissioner urged parents and guardians to desist from “spoiling” their children by failing to train them properly.
She said the Anambra State Government, under the administration of Governor Charles Soludo, has zero tolerance for crime in the state, assuring that the ministry would ensure that the arrested suspects were brought to justice.
Ritual purposes?
The parents of the victim, whose identities were not disclosed, said the 19-year-old was the third victim to be raped by the suspects.
They said the suspects were notorious for raping young girls and collecting their pants which usually resulted in the death of their victims after a period of time.
The victims’ parents appealed to the government to ensure the suspects were prosecuted, pointing out that their daughter’s life was now at risk.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Nigeria, in 2015, enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape and female circumcision.
Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and type of violence committed.
Source: Premium Times
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