Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have arrested 30-year-old Shedrach Ozoemena Nwekeagu, for allegedly raping a six-year-old school pupil.
The suspect, who hails from Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, is the headteacher in one of the private schools in the Kuje Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
NAPTIP spokesperson, Stella Nezan, in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday, confirmed that the victim’s father (name withheld) reported the matter to the agency recently.
The statement added: “The victim’s father said his daughter had previously complained of stomach ache and he also saw bloodstains on her underwear when she came back from school.
“Upon inquiry, she informed her parents that the suspect had inserted his finger into her vagina the previous week, and a week later. She added that he brutally raped her in the classroom after school hours while they waited to be picked up by their parents.”
According to the agency, some teachers in the school also confirmed that they had their suspicion that Nwekeagu was sexually molesting pupils in the school, but were afraid to speak because he is a relative to the proprietress of the school, and they were afraid they could lose their jobs.
In her reactions, NAPTIP’s Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, condemned the act and assured that the suspect would be thoroughly prosecuted under the violence against persons (prohibition) act, 2015.
She cautioned school proprietors to ensure that they run a background check on the teachers they employ to teach the children, so as to avoid such horrible incidents.
She added:
“It is quite unfortunate that the teachers who are supposed to guide and shield children are the ones that end up molesting them.”
The anti-human trafficking agency’s boss encouraged Nigerians to be vigilant so as to be able to report such actions to NAPTIP for investigations.
