NAPTIP arrests teacher who allegedly raped six-year-old

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 30-year-old man, Shedrach Nwekeagu, for allegedly raping a six-year-old school pupil.

This information was contained in a statement sent to newsmen on Thursday by the agency.

The agency said the suspect, who hails from Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, is the Head Teacher in a private school in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

The statement reads, “the victim’s father had reported the matter to NAPTIP, that he observed that his daughter complained of stomach ache and saw bloodstains on her underwear when she came back from school.

“Upon enquiry, she informed her parents that Mr Nwekeagu had inserted his finger into her vagina the previous week, and a week later, he ‘brutally’ raped her in the classroom after school hours while they waited to be picked up by their parents.

“Some teachers in the school also informed NAPTIP that they had their suspicions about Mr Nwekeagu sexually molesting pupils in the school, but were afraid of speaking out because the suspect is a relative of the proprietress of the school, and so they were afraid they would lose their jobs.”

The statement adds that the Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, condemned the alleged rape, and assured that the suspect will be thoroughly prosecuted under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

The statement also said Ms Okah-Donli asked school proprietors to “ensure they run a background check on the teacher(s) they employ to teach the children, so as to avoid horrible incidents such as this.”

“It is quite unfortunate that the teacher who is meant to guide and shield a pupil is the one who ends up molesting the child,” she added.

(Credit: PREMIUM TIMES)