Abia Polytechnic: Group demands investigation into rape of student, as police suspect arrested

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

Following the arrest and detention of a policeman, Corporal Nwachukwu Chinedu, suspected to have raped a female student of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, an Abia-based civil society group has called on the state government, Nigeria Police Force and school authorities to ensure a thorough investigation  of the matter, insisting that justice must be served.

The alleged rape of three female students of Abia Poly quadrupled reasons for the protest by students of the institution last Thursday.

The protesters caused heavy traffic as they blocked the Aba-Owerri road, last Thursday.

According to the students,  the non-accreditation of  entire Engineering Department courses, poor  students’ and lecturers’ welfare, deteriorating condition of the school and the alleged rape of three female students by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) informed their decision to take to the streets.

On learning of the incident, wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Okezie Ikpeazu, visited the raped student on her hospital bed and charged the Police Command to fish out the perpetrators.

Government also assured her that it will do everything to get justice for her.

The Police swung into action and at the weekend, apprehended Corporal Nwachukwu Chinedu suspected to have committed the offence.

Police Public Relations Officer, Abia State Police command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, disclosed in a statement, Friday, after visiting the victim in the hospital and obtaining information from her,  that the Police Commissioner, Janet Agbede, has already ordered that investigation be launched immediately. Ogbonna disclosed that the investigation led to the arrest of the suspect.

Ogbonna’s statement read: “On 23 September 2021 at about 0915hrs, the Area Commander of Aba received information that students of Abia State Polytechnic were on protest along Aba/Owerri road, Aba.

“The Area Commander and his personnel, along with other security agencies, met the protesters. They were advised not to carry on with the protest.

“They, from there, met the School Acting Rector, Associate Professor Kalu Osonwa Okorie, on the campus..

“The Area Commander further advised the students to be peaceful and law abiding.

 “In response, the students then listed their grievances to include: postponement of the students examinations; neglect by Abia State government and the school authority in terms of their welfare, the deteriorating condition of the school and raping of their female student by a Police officer.

“After listening to them, they were advised that their grievances would be channelled to the appropriate authorities and justice will be done.”

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Janet Agbede, being a woman and a mother, has been on her toes with other officers in the command to douse the tension and to find out what actually happened. “The Commissioner of Police and her management team visited and listened to the victim in the hospital.

“After hearing from the victim, a serious investigation started through which the police man, Cpl. Nwachukwu Chinedu that committed the barbaric act was arrested. But he is not attached to Rapid Response Squad, Aba (RRS) as alleged by the protesters”

“The CP while appealing to the Polytechnic community and the public to exercise patience, assures that investigation will be fast-tracked and findings made public, while assuring that justice will be done.”

Following the arrest of the accused Policeman, the Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development ( FENRAD), a rights group, commended the Police for swinging into action and fishing out the suspect.

In a statement by the group entitled: “Re: Abia State Polytechnic Rape; FENRAD Insists on Investigation and Justice,” the group urged “that everything be done so that the rape victim gets justice that is commensurate and appropriate.”

The statement endorsed by FENDRAD’s Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, and Head, Corporate Accountability and Human Rights Enforcement, Barr. Akande Femisi, demanded thorough investigation.

“While the status quo remains thus, FENRAD calls on the Commissioner of Police, the state government and school authorities to ensure that investigation is thorough and true.”