Joy Anyim
The police have launched a manhunt for members of the gang allegedly involved in the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, Okechukwu Favour, at No. 4 Olanrewaju Street in Ejigbo area of Lagos.
Preliminary findings showed that the teenage girl, who was on her way to buy a carton of Gala sausage rolls for her mother, a petty trader, was gang raped by a four-man gang on September 30, about 8:30p.m.
She was allegedly lured to the compound by the boys, and raped till she became unconscious and died.
The mother of the victim raised alarm when she did not return after waiting. Consequently, a search party was initiated by neighbours to unravel the mystery behind Favour’s sudden disappearance.
The girl’s lifeless body was discovered at and when news got to Mr. okechukwu, the father of the deceased, he quickly rushed to the scene and confirmed the ugly incident.
It was learnt that the girl was found naked and her underwear and dress torn to pieces. Blood stains were also reportedly found on the floor of the room.
Police investigation by operatives of the Ejigbo Police Division, led to the arrest of the occupant of the room, Ajom Brimcewil Tabi, who reportedly named the wanted suspects, as parties to the crime.
Though attempts to get the names of the suspects proved abortive, a resident of the area, who simply identified himself as Mr. Dayo, said the rape and death of Favour could have been avoided if security operatives had paid more attention to the area, adding that the area, which is just under the power line in Ejigbo, had become notorious for rape, robbery, smoking and sales of Indian hemp.
He said, “It is just unfortunate that the little girl became a victim of those useless boys. This area has become a danger zone. At night and in the early hours of the day, people are attacked and robbed. Women are also raped.
“When you have young men, who have refused to work or go to school, but gather to drink alcoholic beverages and smoke Indian hemp, what do you expect? It is time for the police to beam their searchlight on this area.
They should go beyond finding the killers of the girl, but also arrest the miscreants in the area, and restore sanity.”
The Nigerian Xpress also gathered that other occupants of the compound were invited for questioning over the alleged crime, as the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for further investigation.
A police source, who spoke in anonymity, said: “Some of the tenants at the compound were invited for questioning over the matter. This is because it is not possible for a girl to have been raped in a compound, and the tenants will not hear her screaming for help.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that the Lagos State Police Commissioner had condemned the act, as he vowed to fight rape, defilement and other crimes in the state.
Adejobi in a detailed account of the criminal act said: “One Favor Okechukwu was sent on errand by her mother to go and buy a carton of Gala for her at Olanrewaju Street, Ejigbo, but when Favour did not return on time, a search party was raised to look for her, till when her father came back from work.
“Her father also joined in the search for the girl. Later information got to them that a girl had been raped to death at No.4, Olanrewaju street Ejigbo. On getting there, the body of Favour was found dead in a room that belonged to one Ajom Brimcewil Tabi, at No.4, Olanrewaju Street, Ejigbo, Lagos.
“The body was found stark naked with blood, flowing out of her private part. The said Brimcewil Tabi has been arrested and detained. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos, has ordered for thorough Investigation into the case; the CP condemned such barbaric act.”
