By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
A 12-year-old girl, (names withheld) residing in Inuwalange street, Lokoja the Kogi State capital, has revealed how she was raped and impregnated by a man she cannot identify.
She made this known in an encounter, with Nationalwatch Tv and MOHAB Peoples Care Foundation, at her lnuwalange residence on Monday.
She said, “I got raped by someone in my neighbourhood. And it was a man who threatened to kill me if I refuse him sex. And I couldn’t tell my mum. It was just so bad for me. You know when someone bullies you to the extent that you can’t talk?
“It was so bad. I opened up to one of my friends who advised me to report to my mum, but I was afraid and couldn’t tell to her.
In a chat with her mother, Hassan Umar, she said she never knew that Lare was pregnanted, only to be told by some people in the street that she had taken-in.
“I persuaded her to tell me who impregnated her to no avail. And this is where I find myself today.
Meanwhile, Murtala Aminu Nasidi, a community leader, who invited this reporter said; “Yesterday, some ladies in our street called our attention to this situation. They said they were suspecting Lare to have been impregnated.
“When we invited her for questioning, she said she didn’t know who pregnanted her. And as we can not help the urgly situation, hence we invited you.
“We believe if you make her predicament public, concerned authorities will come to her aid.
Our findings shows that the minor, who is a native of Bassa-Nge is presently carrying about seven months pregnancy.
Meanwhile, the founder of MOHAB Peoples Care Foundation has reported the case to the Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs for necessary action.
Nationalwatch Tv reports that her case is not isolated as many remain unreported. Many of such cases are not even heard, probably because of the cosmopolitan nature of Lokoja and its growing population and because parents would want to save the reputation of their daughters and protect their families from embarrassment.
It was also learnt that Lokoja traditional area, where the victim case took place, is believed to have the highest number vulnerable girls.
Findings revealed that many cases of child rape in the society are often closed due to manipulative tendencies of suspects, coupled with the fact that even when there is enough evidence for conviction, many parents are unwilling to press charges. And despite efforts by relevant stakeholders to end the menace, rape persists and most victims are denied justice.
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