By Seyi Babalola
The Rivers State Police Command says it has arrested a 16-year-old boy who reportedly violated his 11-year-old female schoolmate on the school grounds in Rumukwurusi, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, last Friday.
It was said that while the randy student committed the crime, his pals watched as he shoved the girl down from behind and made his way into the school grounds.
Shortly after perpetrating the deed, the boy was alleged to have jumped the school gate to flee, but was subsequently apprehended by school officials, while the girl was brought to an unnamed hospital for treatment.
The claim prompted uproar, and photographs of the teenager bleeding heavily circulated online.
Meanwhile, the mother of the girl, while speaking to a radio station (Nigeria Info) in Port Harcourt, monitored by our correspondent, called on the school authorities and the state government to ensure the perpetrator is brought to book.
The distraught woman, said to be a widow, narrated that she got a distress call from the school to come over immediately, saying when she got there she saw her daughter bleeding profusely.
She said, “The school should provide the boy that did that thing and I want justice for my daughter. I’m a widow and I don’t have anybody. It is just me and my children. They should provide the boy. He should not go free at all because maybe he has been doing it to other people, but he will not go free this time. And I want people to help me.”
She further said her daughter lost so much blood from the incident.
“I got a call from the school that I should come because it was an emergency. I had to rush to the school. When I got there, I saw my daughter bleeding seriously. The bleeding was too much.
“I had to secure my daughter first by bringing her to the hospital while the boy was still in the school custody. They said they would hold the boy for me. The doctors have not said anything yet. They are just taking care of her at the moment, but the situation is still like that, no improvement and the money is expensive.”
The situation has provoked outrage on social media with many condemning the act and calling for the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the male student has been arrested, while investigation is ongoing.
Iringe-Koko said, “The boy has been arrested and the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department. The outcome of our investigation would be made known subsequently.”
