Soldier Rapes Girl For 5-Hours Under A Tree

There is uneasiness in Nigeria. Hardly is there good news coming from many quarters these days. Every day that comes has its rearing ugly news. Many things are happening at the same time. September 9 2014 was not an exemption. It was the day that a 23-year-old National Diploma, ND, student of Mass Communication Department, Ibarapa Polytechnic, was reported by Vanguard to have been supposedly raped by a soldier under a tree.

Although, the girl later identified the soldier when security operatives on operation the day she was apparently raped were later paraded before her. It was learnt that the soldier was one of the soldiers stationed to take care of Operation Burst, which was stationed in Oyo State by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to stem criminality.

According to the source, the alleged rape incident happened in August 29 in Eruwa area of the state by 10.30pm. The girl who said that she was raped for five hours by the soldier added that she had seen a friend off and was returning when the soldier accosted her and said that she was one of the criminals in the area, a statement she declined.

The soldier thereafter asked her to climb on the motorcycle he was riding on. When he saw that the girl was unruly to abide by his command, the girl said that he brought out a dagger and threatened to kill her if she refuses. Nerve-quaking girl, she climbed on the motorcycle to the tree where she said that she was raped for five hours.

Case being reported to police, the girl's counsel whose name was simple given as Mr. Adeosun confirmed the incident, saying: “In the morning of Saturday, August 30, 2014, the victim called her parents on the telephone and told them what happened. It was the parents that came to brief our office. We thereafter advised that the victim should report to the Police Station at Eruwa, which she did.”

Quoting the security outfit, it was learnt that Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said that the suspect had been advocated “for disciplinary measure for abandoning his duty post.” The outfit's Second in Command, CSP Elijah Bawa, said that a team of security men was sent to Eruwa for investigations as soon as the information of the rape was disclosed to it.

Investigation revealed that the team joined with the Divisional Police Officer for the Eruwa Division, DSP Kayode Adigun. It was at the meeting that the alleged rape issue was meant to be understood that a complaint in respect to that had been lodged.

The girl was, as learnt, not treated well by the hospital where she had gone for treatment. Analysts have since condemned the act of rape. Commenting on Vanguard online, one commentator frowned that the reason why the soldier should intimidate the innocent girl by 10. 30pm did not meet the eyes, as that hour was even too early to harass any Nigerian moving in the street when it was not curfew.

The commentator said: “Just across Seme border in Benin Republic, their citizens start going out by 12am as if it is still 9am in the morning to them. What people should be asking is whether our government gives us 24hrs light and not to blame the poor girl for no reason at all. It is important that Nigerians understand that. If we can have 24hrs light daily then security is 100% guaranteed; the reason armed robbers operate unhindered is because of no light...”

Without doubt, Nigeria is a country where most times security men and women who were supposed to protect the lives and property of their citizenry end up being the lawbreakers. It is unpleasant that some of them who break laws are often time purportedly shielded by their different security organisations from facing the law.

There is trepidation if the Army authority would not deny that one of their own was not involved in the act as the girl might not have collected data from her private part immediately after the incident for forensic examination.

Against the insecurity mainly in the northern part of the country occasioned by insurgents, some Nigerians have lampooned the Army that this is one of their soldiers who had always given excuses that they do not have sophisticated ammunitions to engage Boko Haram, but here he's raping a girl.

This declaration said: “This is the same soldier that would not be able to handle a gun against Boko Haram for 5minutes, but found it very convenient to rape for 5 hours? We do not need immoral soldiers in the society for such is worse than terrorists. Terrorists are identified enemies from afar, but unlawful soldiers are enemies within, who are being maintained with the tax payers' money and treated with courtesy by both the government and populace and, yet, they are our enemies.”

Odimegwu Onwumere, a Poet/Writer, writes from Rivers State.

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