A widow has accused a policeman attached to the Sakpenwa Police Division in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State of abduction and rape.
According to her, the officer abducted her on Tuesday to a guest house where he raped her at gunpoint after arresting her for not wearing a face mask.
Rights advocate Prince Wiro on Wednesday charged the police to investigate the incident and prosecute the policeman.
“I was returning from Bori to Port Harcourt when I met some police officers at a checkpoint. They arrested me for not wearing a nose mask. They kept me long there with them,” the 32-year-old widow said.
“Thereafter they carried me from one place to the other, claiming they want to take me to the police station, but never took me to any police station.
“After some time, they took me to a guest house where one of them raped me till dawn. His name is Inspector Peter Iba of Sakpenwa Police Station.”
Mr Wiro urged the police in Rivers to immediately open investigation into the allegations.
“There is no justification for the punishment of rape to be meted out to a woman because she flouted Rivers State Government order on the use of nose masks. I expect the police to take this matter seriously.
“You know there’s a recent order from the Inspector General of Police charging every Command to do everything possible to make rape a thing of the past in the society,” he said.
It was gathered that the victim raised the alarm on a WhatsApp group while being allegedly abducted.
“I have been taken to a guest house just because of N100 face mask.
“I can’t believe this is happening to me. He wants to sleep with me. I am dying. He wouldn’t let me pick any call. He threatened to seize my phone,” the WhatsApp message read.
Rivers police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni in reaction said the alleged incident was under investigation.
“After hearing about this, we immediately invited the lady. After hearing from her, she made a written statement and Investigation has commenced,” he said.
