Medical doctors at the Federal Medical Center, Owo, in Ondo state, are battling to save the life of a 17-year-old girl who was raped and impregnated by her stepfather, Emmanuel Ezekiel.
Ezekiel, a farmer, married to the mother of the teenager was said to have relocated to Ondo from Akwa Ibom with three of his children from his previous marriage.
The mother of the victim, who also had two children from her previous marriage also moved into Ezekiel house with her two children.
It was gathered that the pregnancy was almost nine months before it was discovered by the neighbours, who alerted the officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who arrested Ezekiel, in Akure
A source within the community explained that some family members including the victim’s mother have to pressurise the NSCDC to release the suspect after his arrest some two weeks ago.
She disclosed that the young girl had been admitted at the FMC Owo, and it was discovered she could not deliver the baby on her own.
Doctors were said to have demanded the sum N80,000 for the surgical session before she could deliver her baby and there was no money for the operation.
She said, “the girl is now in a critical condition and needs surgery because she could not deliver the baby by herself. They need N80,000 for the surgery but they have not got the money.”
Confirming the development, the state spokesperson of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olufemi Ayodeji, disclosed that plans were on to prosecute the suspect and rehabilitate the victim.
Ayodeji said, “after investigation, we discovered that they lied about the state of the pregnancy. They told us that it was six months but we later got to know that it was close to nine months. That means anytime from now the girl would put to bed.
“There is an NGO that showed interest in taking responsibility of the delivery and we have already sent the details of the girl to them because she would actually go through Cesarean Section and that would be done at Federal Medical Center, Owo.
“The community members and religious leaders have been coming to appeal on behalf of the suspect and presently, he is just being released on bail based on recognition while we focused on how to rehabilitate the victim but I can assure you that he is not yet released.
“We actually gave him bail because he fell ill while in custody and his state of health was deteriorating. He is expected to be reporting to our office.
“The NSCDC is not trying to bury the case. We will never do such because investigation is still ongoing and we will get to the root of the matter and definitely the man who defiled the girl would face the wrath of the law.”
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