Lawyer petitions COAS over alleged defilement of minor by soldier in Delta

A lawyer, E.A. Ekpuda has petitioned the Chief of Army Staff alleging that a soldier serving with the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State defiled a nine-year-old girl.

The legal practitioner, based in Effurun, is insisting that the said soldier must face the wrath of the law for his alleged actions.

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and National Public Complaints Commission were copied in the petition tagged “A Case of rape: Call for speedy action and intervention.

Ekpuda said, “The oral briefing of our client revealed that our client’s daughter, who is nine (9) years old was raped by a soldier with the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun.

“Sometime in May 2023, our clients were doing their farm job; the victim always fetches water for her parents, the soldier captured her after she fetched water and started molesting her and further beat her up, not to tell anyone, not even her parents.

“Consequently, our clients then noticed that something was wrong with their daughter. The mother had to examine her, only to discover that someone had been molesting her daughter and after discussing with her, she opened up that a soldier had been penetrating her.

“The father of the victim was later locked up in Army custody for several days. On hearing all these, Mrs Aliubaba, who was seven (7) months pregnant, lost her pregnancy due to the trauma.”

Following requests for a response to the allegations, the Nigerian Army 3 Battalion in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area in Delta State declined comments.

None of the senior officers in Effurun approached for comments were ready to speak on the matter.