Via Punch:
A 12-year-old girl, identified only as Favour, has been rescued by the police in the Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos State, where her aunt and the husband allegedly took her to get rid of a pregnancy.
Punch learnt that Favour had
been allegedly raped several times by her aunt’s husband, identified as
Johnbull Dike, before she conceived.
It was learnt that
while Favour was put in police’s care, a manhunt was launched for Johnbull, a
tricycle rider, who fled the area after the police rescued the girl.
It was gathered that
Dike’s wife and the nurse who was caught during the abortion had been arrested
by the Akinpelu Police Division.
Punch gathered that the girl
was allegedly taken to the nurse on Sunmola Street, Mafoluku, on Wednesday, May
4.
It was learnt that some
residents gave a tip-off to a child rights’ group, Child Protection Network,
which involved the police.
Our correspondent
learnt from a source that Favour, who was discovered to be four months
pregnant, had been allegedly raped on several occasions by the suspect in
January 2016.
It was said that
Johnbull, a father of three, and Happiness, however, found out that Favour was
pregnant in February, after which they bundled her to stay with their trader
friend in Mafoluku, to hide the evil deed.
However, the woman was
said to have returned Favour to the couple in April, saying she could not
afford to take care of her.
Punch learnt that Johnbull
and Happiness, who lived on Brown Street, subsequently took Favour to the nurse
to get rid of the pregnancy.
Our correspondent
learnt that the matter was also reported to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual
Violence Response Team in Alausa.
When our correspondent
visited the area, a worker with the Child Protection Network, Ebenezer
Omejalile, said Favour did not inform her aunt about the rape, because the
suspect had allegedly threatened to kill her if she did.
He said, “The case was
brought to my attention by a community development committee secretary in
Oshodi, Mr. Mamora. The victim was raped and impregnated by her aunt’s husband.
“I went to see the girl
at the place where the aunt had taken her with the connivance of a nurse to
abort the pregnancy. The girl underwent a scan before the abortion. It was a
failed process because she began to bleed at the nurse’s place. The police were
informed on that Wednesday and the two women were arrested, while Johnbull
fled.
“The policemen took
Favour to a proper hospital to get rid of the remaining foetus. As it is, the
suspect is on the run because he knew that the girl is with the police.”
At the police station,
Happiness told our correspondent that her husband had fled from the house since
the day of her arrest.
She said, “He has not
called me since that day. His phone numbers are also switched off.”
A police source told Punch that Happiness had
been granted bail because her last child had an infection and needed her
attention.
She said, “Our
investigation shows that the nurse is a quack. She is not trained and she
proceeded to do abortion for a 12-year-old girl. The suspect’s wife has a
two-year-old son who is being treated for an infection. So, she has been
granted bail.
“She did not deny that
they wanted to abort the pregnancy. The story they painted to the nurse was
that the girl was raped by an unidentified hoodlum.”
Our correspondent also
sighted Favour at the station before she was taken to the state command
headquarters in Ikeja.
The Lagos State Police
Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that
the police were on the trail of Dike.
She said, “There is a
case of defilement against Johnbull. His wife and the nurse have been arrested
for aborting a pregnancy. The Commissioner of Police has ordered that the case
be transferred to the Gender Unit of the command.
“The suspect is on the
run, but efforts are on to arrest him. Meanwhile, the wife and the nurse will
both be charged to court.”
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