Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons have arrested a head teacher, Shedrach Nwekeagu, for allegedly raping a six-year-old female pupil in the Kuje area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Nwekeagu, 30, who hails from the Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, was nabbed by the NAPTIP operatives after the victim’s father reported the matter to the agency.
The victim’s father reported that his daughter complained of stomach ache when she came back from school and he later saw bloodstains on her underwear.
He added that upon interrogation, the pupil confessed that Nwekeagu inserted his finger in her private parts the previous week, and a week later, he raped her in the classroom after school hours.
The head teacher allegedly committed the act while pupils were waiting to be picked up by their parents.
NAPTIP did not disclose the school’s name, but noted in a statement on Thursday that some teachers in the school said they had their suspicions about Nwekeagu sexually molesting pupils.
The teachers claimed they were reluctant to speak out because they were afraid they would lose their jobs.
A source in the agency said the suspect, who is now in custody, had not yet confessed to the crime, although there was “overwhelming evidence against him.”
The NAPTIP Head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Stella Nezan, said, “Operatives of NAPTIP arrested Shedrach Nwekeagu for allegedly raping a six-year-old pupil. He is the head teacher of one of the private schools in the Kuje Area Council.
“The pupil informed her parents that Nwekeagu inserted his finger in her vagina and a week later, he brutally raped her in the classroom after school hours.”
Reacting to the arrest, the NAPTIP Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli, said the suspect would be prosecuted under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015.
She said, “School proprietors must ensure that they run background checks on the teachers 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 guard and shield a pupil, is the one who ends up molesting the child.
“We encourage members of the public to be vigilant and report any lewd act being meted to any child to our agency for investigation.”