A 12-year-old girl who was repeatedly raped by a popular pastor, a juju priest, and a neighbour has given birth to a baby girl at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH).
The three suspects have been arrested by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and would be arraigned in court next week.
It was gathered that the pastor is aged 30, the fetish priest 59, and the third man 30.
A source at NAPTIP said all three suspects confessed to have repeatedly had forced carnal knowledge of the girl.
Sources at the ISTH said the young mother was admitted for a case of pre eclampsia (a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy) and was recommended for an emergency caesarean section (CS).
The source said she was delivered of a baby girl.
It was gathered that the girl lost her father at the age of five and she was asked to live with the pastor when she was six years old.
The Pastor was said to slept with her repeatedly until she was taken away to stay with the native doctor who also took his turn on her.
She was said to have been taken to stay with her aunt and a neighbour raped her several times until she got pregnant.
A doctor at the ISTH, Dr. Eugene Usifoh, on his Facebook page said the young mother’s story left him almost in tears.
“She is just 12 years old, a minor. I really don’t know the kind of supervision she got from her caregivers but one thing I know is that they failed to protect her, they failed to shield her from the wickedness of this world, they failed to perform their duties as care givers and guardians, as such, life got her scared. Imagine being a mother at 12.
“A devastating tale, however, the abused child has the tendency to be abused again, if she isn’t rescued now, she’ll probably have three or more babies before she becomes an adult and that’s if she lives up to adulthood and survives the complications of pregnancy as well as those of sexual abuse and every other difficulties which she would surely face. Think about the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections/disease or VVF.
“Therefore, we are appealing to all well meaning Edo sons, daughters and Nigerians at large for their assistance in order to save this helpless girl and her baby.
“Spread the word, there’s a 12-year-old in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State that needs to be rescued. Whoever this may get to, please help save this young mother and her baby. Help give them a better life.”
