Men of the Rivers state police command have arrested a 47-year-old man, Eromosele Mahmud, for allegedly impregnating his 16-year-old daughter after raping her over a period of five years.
According to the spokesperson of the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, Mahmud who is a single parent and father of three from the Esako West Local Government Area of Edo State but resident in Port Harcourt, confessed that he has been raping his own daughter since she was 12.
He told the police his daughter began enjoying their sexual intercourse and was the one who initiates it sometimes. He said he doesn’t know what pushed him to start sleeping with his own child.
When interrogated, Mahmud said
This is a battle I have tried to fight over the years and it seems to be much bigger than me. I am not going to withdraw any fact or truth as far as this case is concerned. If this is the only way my daughter can be liberated if I go to prison, then it is good. My happiness is that I am relieved even as I speak to you now.
I can’t really remember when it started, but like I told you, it’s more of a spiritual thing. It is very unusual for a father to be sleeping with his own daughter. I am not a party to abortion, so whatever it is, the social welfare people and other government officials involved in this matter know the best way to handle this pregnancy. As a father, I cannot support abortion for my daughter, what if anything happens to her in the process.
I don’t rape her regularly; it happens once or twice in a year; she used to be very cooperative, even when I don’t want it, she tries to force herself on me.”
The victim said her father becomes hostile towards her and would stop paying her school fees if she refuses to have sex with him.
“It was my father who impregnated me; he started having sex with me when I was 12-year-old till now. The first time he came and lay with me on the bed, when I tried to scream, he told me to shut up that my mates were doing the same thing and anytime I refused to allow him, he would not buy anything for me and he would refuse to pay my school fees.” she said
The state police command spokesperson said Mahmud would be charged to court once investigations have been concluded.
