Police Launch Investigation into Death of Teenager Raped to Death by Neighbourhood Thugs

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had commenced investigation into the death of a teenager who was raped to death by some neighbourhood thugs at the Abule Ado area of the state.

The 14-year-old Obiamaka Orakwue, an SSS II student, died after she was gagged and raped in her parent’s residence while her entire family was sleeping.

According to reports, the teenager was asleep in her room when the yet-to-be identified suspects broken into their apartment and gagged her to prevent her from screaming and waking  the other occupants of the house.

After viciously having their way with her in turns, the suspects were said to have smashed her head with a stone. 

Although initial reports had claimed the deceased was murdered by some boys whose advances she rebuffed, the family yesterday said was far from the truth. 

According to  them, they had woken up that morning and while preparing for the day’s activities, they went to the deceased’s room to wake her up, only to find her in a pool of her own blood.

After raising an alarm, the family went gone to the Abule Ado Police Station and some policemen were sent to the house to ascertain things themselves.

After the preliminary questioning of the  family members and neighbours, as well as an on-the-spot assessment of the broken window and destroyed burglary, the corpse was taken away. 

As the family still battle with the death of their daughter in cold blood, the inability of the police to nab the culprits five days after the incident happened, has been like an open sore that has refused to heal. 

Already, some activists have taken up the clarion call to ensure that the police rise up to their responsibility and fish out the culprits, who are said to reside in that same community. 

Women and girl child’s rights activist, Esther Ijewere, is one of those who has taken up the matter and is demanding justice for the deceased using the hashtag #Justice4ObiAmaka.

To propel the security agencies to action, she said a peaceful sit-down protest would on Thursday, August 3, be held at the governor’s office at the secretariat in Alausa.

She said: “As we rejoice and thank God for the release of the six Igbonla  boys, let us remember our young girls that are being raped and traumatised.  

“The latest victim is 14-year-old Obiamaka Orakwe, an SS2  student, who was right in her home raped and killed. Her killers must be found.

“A lot of our young girls would be at home alone during this vacation. We need to keep them safe.

“Do join the peaceful sit-down protest on Thursday, August 3, 2017 in front of the Governor’s Office Alausa from 8.30a.m. -11a.m.  It is the only way to ensure the security forces fish out the culprits.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident, adding that an investigation has been launched despite the conflicting reports they got on the incident.

He said: “The information gotten for the divisional police officer of Abule Ado  is that they were all sleeping at night and when they woke up in the morning for her to take her bath and they saw her in a pool of her blood with injury in the head. 

“Regardless of the different tale of the event, we are saddled with the responsibility of arresting the culprits.”