Bayelsa pledges support for 14-year-old girl impregnated by father
The Bayelsa State Government has promised to provide psychological and sundry support to a 14-year-old girl impregnated by her father.
Dise Ogbise, the Coordinator, Gender Response Initiative Team in the state, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Ogbise, who spoke on Friday in Yenagoa, the state capital, said some members of the public reported the case.
According to Ogbise, when some people reported that the girl was five months pregnant for the father, the team subsequently swung into action and the man was hauled into Police custody.
NAN gathered at the Ekeki Police Division that the suspect, who hails from Ogani Wily Kaira, Ogoni, Rivers State, was arrested following a formal complaint from the GRIT.
Ogbise alleged that the 38-year old man, residing at PDP Road, Yenagoa, had been sexually abusing his own daughter since she was seven.
She noted that the victim needed a lot of support to enable her go through the rigours of pregnancy at a very tender age.
She said: “The government will ensure that she continues her education.
“The victim, a Junior Secondary School student, who aspires to be a musician, will be assisted to achieve her life goal.”
The Coordinator applauded the neighbour who gave GRIT the tip, adding that the man had been violating his daughter and things got worse when the victim’s mother died a few years ago.
Ogbise called on residents of the state to be vigilant and endeavour to alert the team as well as other gender advocacy groups in the state of any case of girl child violation or molestation.
Ogbise gave the assurance that GRIT was committed to protecting the rights of the girl child.
SP Asinim Butswat of the Bayelsa State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.