The Enugu State Police Command says it has arrested thirty-nine suspects for rape and defilement in the past one year as part of efforts to tackle crimes against women and children in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, disclosed this during a press briefing marking his one year in office at the Command Headquarters in Enugu.
According to him, the arrests were recorded between March 2025 and March 2026 as the Command intensified proactive policing and intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting vulnerable members of society.
The police commissioner highlighted several cases handled by the Command during the period under review, including the arrest of an 18-year-old suspect, Chinedu Nkasiobi, who was apprehended by operatives attached to the Abakpa Police Division.
Police said the suspect allegedly broke into a woman’s apartment through the ceiling at Alulu-Nike in Enugu on March 4, 2026, while the victim was asleep.
He was said to have threatened the woman with a small knife before sexually assaulting her.
The suspect was arrested on March 6, 2026 following a report made to the police.
The Command stated that the case is currently under investigation and will be prosecuted once investigations are concluded.
In another case, police operatives attached to the Awgu Division arrested a 30-year-old man, Ikenna Ekesi, for allegedly defiling and impregnating his 12-year-old ward in Mmaku community of Awgu Local Government Area.
The arrest followed a complaint by the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim had been living with the suspect to care for his six-year-old child while attending school.
However, the suspect allegedly had repeated sexual relations with the minor, which resulted in pregnancy.
Police said the suspect later returned the girl to her parents, claiming she was stubborn, after discovering that she was pregnant.
The victim, now 13 years old, is currently receiving attention while investigations continue.
The police also reported another disturbing case involving incest.
A 45-year-old man, Eugene Obinna Ikeche, was arrested by operatives of the Iwollo Police Division in collaboration with members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group after his 17-year-old daughter reported him to authorities.
The suspect had earlier reported the teenager missing, but after she was found, she told police that she ran away because her father had been sexually abusing her.
She further alleged that after she fled, the suspect began sexually assaulting her 12-year-old younger sister.
According to the police, the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation but blamed his actions on “the devil.”
Authorities say he will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
Commissioner Giwa said the cases underscore the Command’s determination to protect victims of sexual violence and ensure that perpetrators face justice.
He noted that the Command has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to rape, defilement and other forms of gender-based violence.
The police commissioner also urged residents to promptly report cases of sexual abuse, assuring that victims would be treated with confidentiality and dignity.
He added that collaboration with government ministries, community groups and other stakeholders has been crucial in identifying cases and bringing offenders to justice.
Giwa further assured that the Command would continue to strengthen proactive policing strategies to reduce crimes against persons and safeguard residents of Enugu State.
