Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) have arrested a clergyman, Apostle Joseph Alhassan, of Faith Agape Church, Narayi Kaduna, Kaduna State, for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.
According to report, Alhassan has been raping the victim for the past five years.
He was arrested following a complaint filed by the Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development.
The victim (name withheld), while interacting with Brenda Bartholomew, the Social Welfare Officer-in-charge of the case, in Kaduna on Saturday, alleged that Alhassan who is also the founder of Orphans and Widows Welfare Foundation International, sexually abused her over the last five years.
Bartholomew said that the victim, from Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area of the state, had been living with the accused since she was 11 years old as a house-help.
She explained that the case was reported to the ministry by a non-governmental organisation, Bridge that Gap Initiative, after which the ministry intervened to investigate the issue.
“After receiving the information, we reported the case to the NSCDC, Kaduna South Local Government Area Division, Kakuri, who thereafter arrested Alhassan and (are) currently investigating the matter.
The Executive Director of Bridge that Gap Initiative, Gloria Bulus, explained that she found out about the victim’s predicament through a neighbour’s child who attended the same school with the victim.
She said in October 2019, a 12-year-old girl, also a house-help in Mr Alhassan’s house, had told some of her friends at school that her fellow house-help was being sexually molested by Alhassan.
The nongovernmental organisation decided to visit the school and the 12-year-old girl reaffirmed the allegation and we were able to contact her parents in Kagarko, who came and took her away.
To ensure justice for the victim, the group approached the Ministry of Human Services to investigate the allegation.
Bulus expressed appreciation that the ministry took action on the matter.
