The police in Cross River State has arrested 48-year Mallam Adamu Umaru for allegedly defiling and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter.
While parading Umaru who is also facing murder case in Abuja, the command’s spokesperson, Mr Nelson Okpabi told newsmen that the suspect was arrested on Friday based on petition by one Aisha, the victim’s aunt.
He said “The personnel of the Zonal Human Rights Unit acting on a petition referred to the team for investigation, on November 15, 2024, apprehended Mallam Umaru.
“The suspect is a native of Bundugudu LGA of Zamfara State, residing at No. 27 Edem Odo Street, Calabar, who unlawfully defiled his daughter,” he stated.
The spokesman said that the petitioner had stated that she noticed the changes in the girl’s physiology and took her to the hospital where test that was conducted confirmed her to be nine weeks pregnant.
The police said that the victim in her statement, alleged her father was responsible for her pregnancy.
She added that her father started raping her since 2023 in a hotel located in Calabar and had threatened to kill her should she reveal this to anybody.
“She was further examined by a medical doctor in the Police hospital, Calabar and the result validated the earlier report submitted by her aunt.
“The manager of the hotel in his statement also admitted that he had seen the suspect severally with the victim in the hotel booking temporary accomodation, but never knew she was his daughter,” explained the PPRO.
While speaking with journalists, the suspect denied the allegation and appealed for him to be release to attend to another urgent matter in an Abuja court.
“I am due to appear tomorrow in a Federal High Court in Abuja over murder charges and I did not even commit what am being alleged of against my daughter,” he appealed.
The Police, however, noted the suspect denied the allegation on interrogation, adding that he could not explain how his daughter got pregnant under his watch having separated from her biological mother years back.
The Police said that the suspect would be arraign in a court at the end of investigation in accordance with extant laws if found culpable.
