The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, to ensure that all those involved in the abduction of Ese Oruru, are prosecuted in accordance with the law. Ese who has been discovered to be five months pregnant has been returned to the parents in Bayelsa.
Police sources said Ese at the moment stays with her mum at a police facility in Yenagoa for security reasons and for proper psychological healing. Preliminary medical examination has confirmed the pregnancy which pooh-poohed the claim by the abductor’s father that his son, Yunusa, never cohabited with Ese.
Exchanging views with the IGP in Abuja on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Professor Ben Angwe, commended the IGP, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and all other Nigerians, who rallied support towards the release of the 14-year old girl.
The Executive Secretary, who was represented at the occasion by the Senior Special Assistant, Mr Lambert Oparah, condemned in strong terms, the abduction of Ese, stressing that the action was highly reprehensible and contravened Section 21 of the Child’s Rights Act.
Mr Angwe said that the Commission would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the prosecution of those involved in the dastardly act, warning that “the Commission is determined to end incessant child abuse.”
On the request of the Executive Secretary about the protection of the girl, the IGP in his response, assured the NHRC that the abductor and all other actors in the abduction saga would be brought to deserved justice.
According to the IGP, an in-house administrative inquiry had already been set up to deal with the professional conduct of officers involved in the initial investigation of the case stressing that those indicted would be dealt with accordingly.
While talking on adequate protection of the victim, the IGP assured the Commission and all Nigerians that the privacy and the protective rights of the girl-child would be guaranteed.
Ese was allegedly abducted in August 2015 and moved to Kano for forced marriage.
She was freed on Monday night, following a directive by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to the Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Mohammed Katsina.
Additional reports from Channels TV.
