In a bizarre reaffirmation of the saying that there are usually different strokes for different folks, a disturbing trend emerges in Akwa Ibom where a rape victim secures justice, while another rape victim in Edo State suffers injustice prompting the family members to raise the alarm
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
Justice finally came to the way of a rape victim in Akwa Ibom State as the Akwa Ibom High Court sitting in Uyo, the state capital has sentenced a 28 year-old man, Shehu Dikko to seven years’ imprisonment for raping a 17 year-old girl at Eka Street.
Dikko, who hails from Sokoto State and sells suya at IBB Junction, Uyo, was convicted on Monday, February 9, 2026 after the court found him guilty of rape.
It was learnt that the convict was charged under sections 1(a) and (b) and 2 of Akwa Ibom State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, Cap 162, Vol. 6 Laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria 2022.
According to evidence before the court, the incident occurred on 6th September, 2023 at about 8:30pm while the victim (name withheld) was on an errand to deliver food to her sister at a hospital.
In her statement to the police, the victim identified the defendant as a regular customer at her mother’s food business.
“I saw Shehu Dikko in front of his house. He held my hands. When I refused, he dragged me into his house and in the process, I hit my head on the wall and I became weak. He removed his penis and forcefully inserted it inside my vagina and had carnal knowledge of me till I started bleeding. I didn’t even have strength to shout when he was on top of me. He carried me to the road and gave me N2000. He put me in a Keke and when the Keke rider saw how I was bleeding, he dropped me half way. I was then rescued by good Samaritan, who informed my mother” she narrated to the police.
Her mother, a 53-year-old trader from Bauchi State, in her statement to the police, explained that she had been solely responsible for raising her five children.
The prosecution led by counsel from Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice called two witnesses a medical doctor with 38 years of experience who examined the victim and the investigating police officer (IPO).
Four exhibits were tendered and admitted in evidence, including the defendant’s confessional statement; Police Investigation Report and the medical report, “which revealed a broken hymen with bruises in the cervix of the victim”.
In a judgment that lasted about one hour, the trial judge, Justice Nsemeke Daniel noted attempts by some persons to frustrate the prosecution of the case, including pressure allegedly mounted on victim’s to withdraw the matter and the victim relocated from Akwa Ibom State, actions the court described as a calculated to undermine justice.
“In this case, the victim is pressured to relocate to her state in the northern part of Nigeria after her kinsmen insisted that the case should be withdrawn. Even the victim’s mother came to the court under compulsion to withdraw the case. There is no doubt in my mind that they were chased out of Akwa Ibom State so that the charge will fail. So when the mother who reported the case to the police came and said that she is in the court to withdraw, I know something is fishy somewhere and I rejected it as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended does not support such an application” Justice Daniel held.
While noting that the law prescribes for life imprisonment for rape, Justice Daniel said the court was exercising discretion to temper justice with mercy.
“To this end, instead of life imprisonment, I hereby sentence the defendant to seven years imprisonment without option of fine with effect from February 9, 2026. The sentence must serve not only as punishment to the defendant, but as deterrent to others who may think they can violate the rights of women and girls with impunity” Justice Daniel held.
The conviction marks another enforcement of Akwa Ibom State violence against persons prohibition law, aimed at protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring accountability for sexual offences.
But in Edo State, it was a different story as the family of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 22-year-old University of Benin Microbiology undergraduate who was raped and murdered inside a church in Benin has decried the delay in justice for their daughter after six years of her dastardly rape and murder.
It would be recalled that in May 27, 2020 Omozuwa went to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Edo Province 10, in Ikpoba Hill Benin City, to study and while there, she was attached, raped and hit in the head with a fire extinguisher by yet to be identified individuals.
She was found in a pool of her blood by a security officer and rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where she passed on May 30, 2020.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, January 31, 2026 on behalf of the family at grave site of the deceased at 3rd Cemetery Benin to commemorate her birthday and her sudden passage, Judith Omozuwa said it is almost six years since Vera was gruesomely murdered inside a church in Benin and justice has not been served. She said the delay in justice for Vera has shattered the family.
“My parents cannot move on, we cannot move on because we are yet to see the outcome of this situation. We are yet to see justice. We are dissatisfied with the whole process. We are calling for justice” Judith said.
Judith said the only thing that can bring peace to the family is when the culprits are brought to book and it will serve as a deterrent to others who might be nursing such thoughts.
Also speaking, the elder sister to the deceased Sandra Omozuwa appealed to Edo State Government to hasten the case and ensure that justice is served in a record time.
It has been six years on and no positive action yet. But most of them have been released. So, I don’t know how they did it. And my father has been consistent. No court day that my father did not attend. The stress, the pain, the trauma can’t just be forgotten like that.
“So, I just want to appeal to Nigeria and Edo State Government. They should please come to our aid because we want our sister to get justice. Justice must be served. She should not be denied that,” Sandra said.
