A man identified as Adamu Umaru, 48, on Thursday was paraded by the Zone 6 Police Command in Cross River over an allegation of raping and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter.
Parading the man, the spokesperson, of the Zone 6 Police Command, Nelson Okpabi, told journalists that the suspect was arrested on Friday, 15 November. This was following on a petition lodged by one Aisha, the victim’s aunty.
Okpabi said, “The personnel of the Zonal Human Rights Unit acting on a petition referred to the team for investigation. And on November 15, 2024, the police apprehended Mallam Adamu Ibrahim Umaru.
“The suspect is a native of Bundugudu LGA of Zamfara State. And residing at No. 27 Edem Odo Street, Calabar. He unlawfully defiled his daughter,” the statement read.
According to Okpabi, the petitioner had stated that she noticed changes in the girl’s physiology and took her to the hospital. Where a test that was conducted confirmed her to be nine weeks pregnant.
He added that the victim, in her statement, alleged that her father was responsible for her pregnancy.
The victim added that her father started having illicit affairs with her in 2023 in a hotel located in Calabar. And that he had threatened to kill her should she reveal the illicit act to anybody.
The police spokesman said, “She was further examined by a medical doctor in the Police hospital, Calabar. And the result validated the earlier report submitted by her aunt.
“The manager of the hotel in his statement also admitted that he had seen the suspect severally with the victim in the hotel booking temporary accommodation. He stated that he never knew she was his daughter.”
Fielding questions from journalists at the Command, Umaru denied the allegation. He appealed for his release to enable him attend to another urgent matter in an Abuja court.
He said, “I am due to appear tomorrow at Federal High Court in Abuja over murder charges. And I did not even commit what I’m being alleged of against my daughter.”
According to the police, the suspect denied the allegation on interrogation. He stated that he could not explain how his daughter got pregnant under his watch, having separated from her biological mother years back.
However, Okpabi stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court at the end of the investigation. And will be prosecuted in accordance with extant laws if found culpable.
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