Following the gang-rape by eight men, including her guardian, of a16-year-old girl, heartbroken Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Esther Onyekesi, has promised that justice will be served in the matter.
A visibly heartbroken Onyekesi broke down in tears on Thursday when the victim was brought to her Awka office for urgent intervention.
Condemning the assault as a heinous and unacceptable act, the commissioner expressed deep outrage that the teenager was so severely abused by the very people entrusted with her care.
According to reports reaching Persecondnews, the crime occurred in the Nawfia community, located in the Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
Reassuring the survivor, Onyekesi emphasized that the state government will ensure everyone involved is prosecuted, promising that the case will not be allowed to fade away without justice.
“The state government condemns this act in strong terms and the ministry will ensure that all perpetrators in this dastardly act are brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others,” she declared.
Onyekesi called on men to be protectors of women and young girls, rather than destroyers.
“We urge men to protect women and young girls, rather than take advantage of their vulnerability. The ministry assured the victim of her safety and pledged to follow the case diligently to ensure justice is served.”
A medical report presented to the commissioner further confirmed that the victim is two months pregnant as a result of the repeated sexual assaults.
The case was reported to the commissioner of women affairs by a Catholic priest from Nawfia who intervened after learning of the abuse.
Narrating her harrowing experience, the victim said her guardian had been forcing himself on her every night, after which other men joined in the sexual assaults.
She disclosed that the guardian’s wife is a stroke patient and was therefore unable to intervene.
According to her, a Good Samaritan facilitated her rescue from the abusive situation last week, after which some arrests were made before she was brought to the commissioner’s office.
The victim told the commissioner that police at the Nawfia Division where the case is currently being handled, has arrested two of the eight suspects, while the remaining six are on the run.
The gang-rape comes just weeks after the body of a sexagenarian woman, Victoria Adegoke, was found naked and abandoned in a nearby bush, suspected to have been raped and strangled.