Father arrested for allegedly defiling two young daughters in Enugu
By Blessing Kalu
The Enugu State Government says a man, identified as Ozioma Okonkwo, has been arrested on suspicion of defiling his two biological daughters, aged two and five.
Okonkwo, a native of Imo State resident in Enugu, was taken into custody on the night of 25 October after a concerned citizen alerted authorities, the state Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development said on Sunday. The ministry confirmed the suspect remains in police custody and will be charged once investigations conclude.
The two children have been placed in a government-approved shelter and are receiving medical attention and psychosocial support, while their mother is undergoing therapy under the ministry’s social welfare and counselling team. The ministry praised the swift response of the Nigeria Police Force and reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on sexual and gender-based violence.
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“This is a heart-wrenching and unacceptable crime against innocence,” the statement said, adding that the state government, under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, is committed to protecting every child and ensuring perpetrators face the full weight of the law. Citizens were thanked for their vigilance and urged to continue reporting suspicious behaviour to help safeguard women and children.
The case follows other high-profile prosecutions in recent years aimed at deterring sexual offences against children. In 2022, a father was sentenced to triple life imprisonment in Lagos for offences that contravened the state’s criminal law on defilement and rape. The ministry said it would continue to work with security agencies to ensure justice for the victims and called on the public to support efforts to protect vulnerable children across the state.
