A human rights group in Rivers State, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign (CBRPAC), has accused the authorities of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), Rumuolumeni, of shielding a senior security officer of the university, Mr Mgbechi Wekwe, who allegedly abducted and defiled a 16-year-old girl in Aluu community on January 13, 2021, from submitting himself for prosecution.
The group insisted that it was the duty of the institution to hand over the wanted staff to the police for interrogation and prosecution, without further delay.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Prince Wiro, the group expressed worry that over a week after the Aluu Divisional Police Headquarters wrote to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, about the incident, the school authorities were yet to hand over the suspect to the police.
Wiro said the group was disturbed that the security personnel who has not been handed over to the police for investigation has been coming to work and taking refuge in the institution despite the weight of the allegation against him.
The group condemned the action of the school management for protecting the suspect even though it was clearly aware of and briefed over the incident.
According to the group, all efforts by the police to arrest the suspect, aside from writing to the vice chancellor, were being frustrated by seeming lack of cooperation on the part of the institution.
“The most disturbing aspect is that the suspect reportedly called the mother of the alleged rape survivor two days ago, and boasted that the school will not hand him over to the police as he enjoys the protection and love of some highly placed individuals in the university, and the chief security officer in particular.
“We call on the Visitor to the school and Governor of Rivers State Chief Nyesom Wike, the state Ministries of Education, Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and the general public to prevail on the university to hand over the suspect to the police”, the statement stated.
The group threatened to commence series of legitimate actions which may include peaceful protest to the university, if its management fails to hand over the suspect to the police on or before January 31, 2021.
When contacted on the development, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Ms Ngozi Okiridu, declined to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, the mother of the 16-year-old alleged rape survivor, Mrs Kindness Edwin, accused Wekwe of abducting and defiling her daughter over her (mother’s) refusal to marry the 60-year-old security man.
In an interview with The Tide, Mrs Edwin Kindness, who is a widow, said Wekwe asked her hand in marriage, which she refused, adding that the accused was no longer comfortable with her decision to opt out of the marriage proposal.
Edwin alleged that the man threatened to kill her for opting out of the marriage deal, and accused her daughter of being the reason she opted out of the marriage deal.
She alleged that on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, Wekwe, in company of some boys, abducted her daughter at gunpoint in front of her workplace at Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area at about 6:00pm and took her to Rumuakunde, Emohua LGA, where she was defiled.
Edwin said she only saw her daughter on Friday, January 15, 2021, two days after the incident.
The widow said she made complaints to the police after her daughter told her what transpired.
Edwin called on well-meaning Nigerians to help her get justice.