By Milcah Tanimu
In a disturbing incident in Igbere, Abia State, a 35-year-old man known as “Yellow” was apprehended for allegedly raping a 5-year-old girl inside a room. The assailant, caught in the act by an angry mob, confessed to the crime, attributing it to being misled by the “Devil” and the chilling weather from the rain, claiming it heightened his desires.
The suspect, who faced the wrath of the villagers and begged for forgiveness, explained that he lured the innocent child with groundnuts. He recounted sitting with friends, eating groundnuts when he entered a building to retrieve something. Inside, he claimed to have encountered the girl, offering her groundnut seeds, and subsequently assaulting her after she followed him.
Despite the suspect’s attempt to justify his actions by citing external influences, the gravity of the crime is undeniable. A source from Ibere revealed that the assaulted child was promptly taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention. The 35-year-old perpetrator was handed over to local security personnel for subsequent transfer to the police, who are expected to conduct a thorough investigation.
This incident follows a similar case four months ago when a 37-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison in Umuahia for raping a 4-year-old girl. The state’s police command, as of the current report, had not confirmed awareness of the recent incident. Messages sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, remained unanswered.
