Two brothers have allegedly abducted and raped a 14-year-old girl in the Erima community, located within the Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to reports, the girl was walking along a secluded path in the community last Saturday on her way to her uncle’s house when one of the assailants, identified as ‘Honest,’ in collaboration with his brother, Okwukwe, attacked her.
A community member, who requested anonymity, informed our correspondent that several hours later, the girl’s mother, concerned that her daughter had not returned, visited her elder brother’s house, only to discover that the girl had never arrived.
Alarmed by the situation, the source said the mother raised an alarm, crying through the community, and eventually encountered a local vigilante, leading to the arrest of one of the suspects.
“It was then that the vigilant people started searching for the girl and saw that the brothers, after kidnapping the girl, took her to a house near a bush and took turns to rape the girl,” he said.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, the Second in Command of the vigilante known as the ONELGA Security Planning and Advisory Committee in Egi community, Onuigba Chinonye, said he was on patrol with his men when they saw the distraught woman.
Chinonye explained, “I was on patrol with some of my boys when we met one woman crying that her 14-year-old daughter has been missing since Saturday till Sunday morning.
“I asked the woman which area, she told us where she was staying and where the girl was going to before. So we started investigating and through some good neighbours too, we found out where the girl was.
“When we went into the place, we saw two brothers, senior and junior raping the little girl in an isolated compound near a bush.”
Continuing, the vigilante official said, “In the process of trying to arrest them, the senior one proved stubborn and tried to fight us.
“As my boys were dragging him, his junior brother ran away. So, we now apprehended the senior one and handed him over to Egi Police Division Headquarters in Obite, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.”
Chinonye advised youths in the community to shun criminal behaviours and embrace meaningful ventures in order to be useful to themselves.
When contacted, spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying investigation is ongoing.
Iringe-Koko, stated, “He (suspect) is in our custody and he would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered the Divisional Police Officer to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspect in order for him to also face the law.”