A 40-year-old man has been arrested by enraged residents of the Obunagha village in Yenagoa Local Council, Bayelsa State, for reportedly defaming and abusing his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
According to sources, the girl, who was bleeding from her anus, was brought to the Niger Delta University Hospital and is presently being treated.
After being restrained and flogged by locals, the suspect—who was reportedly a bricklayer—was eventually turned over to the state’s Rapid Response Unit at Dor Akpoor.
The father of the victim, who asked not to be named, described the incident as distressing and confirmed that the child remains under close medical care. He said the family was consulting on the next steps, including possible prosecution.
Youth leaders in the area, alongside a gender-based organisation, said they had deployed field officers to monitor developments.
A former youth president of the Gbarain Youths Federation, Pere Orufa, confirmed the incident and urged parents and guardians to be vigilant in protecting children.
The founder of the Do Foundation, Dr Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry, said recent cases of child s3xual abuse recorded between December 2025 and January 2026 were troubling.
She called for renewed public sensitisation and stronger preventive measures, noting the need for coordinated action by all stakeholders to curb gender-based violence.
