The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man, Ike Iwuanyanwu, for allegedly raping and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter, Priscilla (pseudonym) at Ajao Estate, in the Isolo area of the state.Our correspondent gathered that Iwuanyanwu, who was a company driver living on Anuoluwapo Street in the estate, was arrested on Wednesday after the matter was reported at the Ajao Estate Police Division.
It was learnt that the victim had been taken into custody by the Lagos State Government.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Iwuanyanwu had also allegedly beaten his daughter and wife, warning them not to disclose the incident to anyone.
It was learnt that Priscilla’s mother, however, informed her family members on Wednesday, who went to the girl’s school to confirm the story from her.
The case was thereafter reported to the state Ministry of Youth and Social Development, which informed the police.
A neighbour of the Iwuanyanwus, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victim was the first child of the family, adding that the father had allegedly confessed to the crime.
She said, “The man is a driver and the girl is his first child. None of us knew anything about the incident until he was arrested. The only thing we saw was that the man beat up his wife and daughter late in the night on Tuesday.
“The girl was pregnant and the father tried to hide it. It was her school that informed the Lagos State Government.
“The girl confessed that it was her father who raped and impregnated her. The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development alerted the police and the man was arrested.
“The suspect did not deny that he impregnated the girl. He knew the government was involved and he had no hiding place. We learnt he told the police that his wife did not allow him to have sex with her and he yielded to the temptation of raping his daughter.
“The girl’s mother told her family members, who then went to her school. They did not know the school authorities would get the ministry involved. The matter was also reported to some child rights workers in the Oshodi area.”
Our correspondent learnt that Priscilla’s mother allegedly took the 15-year-old to a place where the pregnancy was aborted.
The pregnancy was said to have been aborted before she was rescued and taken into custody by government officials.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the police arrested Priscilla’s mother on Thursday for involvement in the alleged abortion.
The Coordinator, Domestic and sexual Violence Response Team, Lagos State, Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the victim was safe in government’s custody.
She said, “Social workers have rescued the victim.
She is now at an orphanage provided by the state government. We have also called for the duplicate case file. The girl’s mother was arrested for allegedly aborting the pregnancy. The police may grant her bail on the grounds that she has a four-year-old boy.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.
She said, “The man raped and impregnated his daughter, while the mother also procured abortion for her. The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has ordered that the case be transferred to the gender unit of the command for investigation. The girl is placed in a shelter because we cannot afford to see her go back to that vicinity.”
PUNCH