The Anambra State Police Command says it has gathered sufficient evidence to prosecute three suspects arrested in separate incidents of alleged defilement in Eziowelle, Oba, and Ogidi divisions.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Awka, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department’s Gender Unit were handling the cases.
According to him, on August 19, officers from the Oba Division arrested one Ihechiluru Okorie for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl who had gone to his shop to cut her hair. The suspect reportedly confessed to the act.
Earlier, on August 13, police operatives in Eziowelle apprehended 28-year-old Chidubem Udem for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl at her grandmother’s residence. Medical examination of the victim confirmed the assault.
Similarly, on August 28, a 30-year-old man, Kalu Ilo, was arrested in Nkpor by Ogidi Division operatives for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s 13-year-old daughter, who is mentally challenged.
Ikenga noted that all three suspects remain in custody and will be arraigned in court on Wednesday.
He added that the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Ikioye Orutugu, had strongly condemned the incidents and assured that the Command would ensure diligent prosecution to secure justice for the victims.
The commissioner further urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to be vigilant and report any cases of sexual or gender-based violence promptly to the nearest police station. He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable persons across the state.