Okada rider rapes 14-year-old tuberculosis patient in Lagos

A 35-year-old man, Andrew Ekanem, has been arrested by the police
for allegedly raping his neighbour’s daughter in the Bariga area of
Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the 14-year-old victim was still undergoing a
six-month treatment for tuberculosis when she was attacked by the
suspect on Monday morning.
Our correspondent was told that the victim was the first of four
children.

The mother of the victim, Mrs. Adenike Aderinkomi, a trader, told our
correspondent at their house on Akilo Street that her daughter went
to ease herself in the early hours of the morning when she was
cornered by the Cross River State indigene.

She claimed the suspect penetrated her daughter through the anus and
vagina.
She said, “It was around 2am on Monday when my daughter woke up
and said she wanted to go and ease herself.

“I was having my quiet time and didn’t know when I slept off. I woke
up about 15 minutes later and didn’t see her in the room.
“I woke her father up and he said he didn’t know her whereabouts. We
both became anxious and went outside to search for her.

“Another neighbour also joined us in the search.”
She said she was shouting her daughter’s name in the backyard, but did
not get any response.

Aderinkomi said about 10 minutes later, her husband saw their
daughter coming out of Ekanem’s room.
Our correspondent learnt people overwhelmed her with a barrage of
questions, but the Primary six pupil insisted she went to ease herself.
Her mother said she pulled her away from the growing crowd of
neighbours and pressed her to talk.

“My daughter became afraid. She then told me that while she was on
her way to ease herself, Ekanem grabbed her and took her inside his
room to sleep with her. She said while I was shouting her name, he
covered her mouth.

“People seized him and wanted to beat him up. But I had to quickly
report the matter to the police very early in the morning so people
would not take the law into their hands,” she said.

Aderinkomi said she was surprised because when her daughter fell
critically ill in February, last year, Ekanem assisted her family in
taking her to Calabar, the Cross River State capital, for traditional
treatment.

PUNCH Metro learnt that after the alleged rape, the victim was taken
to the Gbagada General Hospital for testing and treatment.

A medical report, which was sighted by our correspondent, revealed
that the victim sustained bruises in her private parts.

The paper, signed by one Dr. Ojekunle of the hospital, stated, “The child
was caught with a neighbour around 2am today. She confessed that the
neighbour called her on her way to ease herself and forced her and had
sex with her.

“She sustained bruises in her anus and vagina (as a result of) sexual
assault.”
Our correspondent was told that the victim had been taken to an
undisclosed orthodox church for “prayers and deliverance”.

A carpenter, Tunde Hassan, who lives in the house where the incident
happened, expressed surprise, saying nobody imagined Ekanem could do
such a thing.

Hassan said, “Up till now, I cannot comprehend what happened. The man
was a gentle man and he never fought or made trouble with anybody.

“But at the same time, people should learn to forgive when things like
this happen, because you never can tell. Somebody that was bad to you
today can be good to you tomorrow.”
It was learnt that the suspect was arrested by policemen from the
Bariga Police Division.

A police source told our correspondent that investigation revealed the
suspect was fond of the act and usually induced his victims with money.
He said, “That was not his first time of doing such a thing. This
particular girl, he had slept with her about three times. He was always
giving her money ranging from N200 to N500.

“But this time, he was caught red-handed and that was why the girl’s
parents are insisting on taking him to court. When he was queried, he
didn’t give any reason for his behaviour. He’s just fond of sleeping
with little girls.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Kenneth
Nwosu, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect had been taken
to court.