Police in Rivers State have detained a woman named Jessica for reportedly stripping and inserting pepper into the private regions of a teenager who was allegedly violated by her husband in the Rukpokwu area of the state’s Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The girl’s mother, who gave her name simply as Goodness, described the incident, saying she was at work on Sunday evening when she received a call claiming her neighbour (Jessica) was assaulting her kid.The traumatized woman claimed that before she reached home, some neighbours had rescued her daughter from Jessica.The victim’s mother stated that the wife of her neighbour, named as Ebuka, accused her of sleeping with her husband, which prompted her action.
The woman stated, “My neighbour raped my daughter and fled. So, his wife was searching for my daughter. I asked the wife what was wrong, but she didn’t say anything.
“Unfortunately, she arrived yesterday, tricked the girl, took her to her house, beat her up, and sprinkled pepper all over her body and private regions. Even while I was at work, I received calls informing me that my daughter was dying as a result of a beating by my neighbor’s wife.
“So I raced home and saw her crying, pepper all over her body. When I questioned what happened, she described how Ebuka’s wife hit her.
“She accused my daughter of sleeping with her husband and that is why she beat her and put pepper on her body.”
The devastated woman stated that she immediately went to the Rumuokoro Police Station in Obio/Akpor LGA and had the neighbour’s wife detained.On how the girl was defiled, the mom stated, “Upon interrogation, her daughter confessed that on Christmas Day, a female neighbour who is Jessica’s friend took her to her house.
“Minutes later, Jessica’s husband, Ebuka, dispatched his wife and her friend on an errand. While Ebuka’s wife was out with a friend, he allegedly raped her after threatening to deal with her if she refused.
“After he was done, he let my daughter leave, but she didn’t inform me because of the threat. Nobody’s seen Ebuka since that day.”
Meanwhile, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has slammed the alleged abuse of the teenager, calling it cruel.
Prince Wiro, the group’s National Coordinator, remarked on Monday, “We interacted with the youngster and noticed the bruises and wounds on her body.
“We demand that the police conduct a comprehensive inquiry. The police should make a concerted attempt to bring the suspect, the woman’s husband, to justice for the allegations against him, and anyone found guilty in the inquiry should face the consequences.”
When contacted, Grace Iringe-Koko, a spokesman for the state Police Command, said she will inquire with the Divisional Police Officer and get back to our reporter.
She had not done so as of Monday evening, when this report was filed.
