The police in Enugu State say they have arrested a 30-year-old man, Chika Ugbor, over alleged serial rape, robbery and sextortion of women in the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
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Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said the suspect had been targeting female POS operators for rape, robbery and sextortion.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that he lured female POS operators to secluded locations under the pretext of conducting transactions, where he allegedly robbed and sexually assaulted them,” he said.
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The spokesperson said the suspect equally allegedly used Facebook, posing as Franklin Umeh, to lure another victim and often recorded his victims’ nude videos.
“A phone recovered from him reportedly contains nude images and video clips of identified and unidentified victims,” he said.
Mr Ndukwe said one of his victims, a 20-year-old POS operator at Akwata Market in Enugu was allegedly lured to a bush behind St. Peter’s Church, Coal Camp at about 11:00 a.m. on 21 May this year where the suspect allegedly robbed her of N600,000 and raped her.
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The spokesperson said the second victim, a 30-year-old POS operator at the same market, was allegedly lured to the same location at about 5:00 p.m. on 11 August and robbed of N120,000, after unsuccessful attempts to also rape her.
He narrated that the third victim, 21, was allegedly lured through Facebook by the suspect, posing as Franklin Umeh, to Old Park, Enugu, at about 11:30 a.m. on 4 October, before being taken to a bush around Udi Siding.
“He (the suspect) allegedly raped her, recorded her nude, and robbed her of N100,000 and her phone.
“He subsequently threatened to circulate the video unless she paid N200,000 and allegedly used her phone to contact some of her WhatsApp contacts,” the police spokesperson said.
Investigations
Mr Ndukwe said investigations into the incidents were ongoing and that the suspect would be arraigned upon conclusion of the investigations.
“Other victims are urged to come forward and assist the investigation. Young women who have experienced cyberstalking or sextortion are also encouraged to report such incidents to the police for appropriate action,” he said.
The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting residents from sexual violence, robbery and other crimes.
He urged the public, particularly women and business operators, to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.
Prohibited in Nigeria
Nigeria, in 2015, enacted the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, female circumcision and forceful ejection.
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Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or minimum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and type of violence committed.
Several persons have been convicted by various courts for rape.
An Ado-Ekiti High Court, in July 2022, sentenced a 49-year-old man, Dele Adeyanju, to four years’ imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl.
A Bauchi High Court, in 2017, sentenced two middle aged men to life in prison for raping a 40-year-old woman and plucking her eyes.
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