ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Police in Bayelsa State have apprehended a 38-year-old man, Mr Baridap Needman, for allegedly impregnating his biological daughter, aged 14, along the popular PDP road in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The suspect, who is said to be an indigene of Ogoni, Rivers State, was arrested following a formal complaint from the Bayelsa State gender advocacy group, the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) led by Mrs Dise Ogbise, a lawyer.
According to Ogbise, the GRIT was informed by a concerned neighbour who noticed that the victim was five months’ pregnant and that the father was allegedly responsible for the pregnancy.
FirstNews gathered that the suspect (Needman) had allegedly been violating his daughter since the age of seven by fingering the girl’s vagina.
It was also gathered that the defilement got worse when the victim’s mother died a few years ago, a development that made the suspect replace his deceased wife with his daughter on his matrimonial bed.
It was also learnt that while the teen daughter, who is in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3, was sleeping with her father on the bed, her two younger brothers were made to sleep on the floor.
However, policemen at the Ekeki Police Station, Yenagoa, where the case was reported, were said to be shocked when the pregnant girl reportedly declared that she was in love with her accused father.
Ogbise confirmed to reporters that the advocacy group would work with the Ministry of Women Affairs to offer psycho-social support to the victim and ensure that she is well taken care of until delivery.
She said: “Abortion is not an option and the two brothers have been handed over to their family member for proper care.
“The girl will be in government custody and she needs to go back to school. Her dream is to be a musician and we will encourage her.
Also speaking, Mrs. Mary Accrah Pekeowei, a member of GRIT, called on residents of the state to be vigilant and alert the team and other gender advocacy groups in the state on any case of girl-child violation or molestation in any form.
“Members of the public should always speak up and reach out to relevant authorities,” she advised.
When contacted, spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, said he was yet to be officially briefed on the matter.