A Cross River State Family Court sitting in Calabar on Wednesday handed a life sentence to a 27-year-old man, Edidiong Nyojole, for the rape of a 13-year-old girl.
Justice Blessing Egwu delivered the verdict after the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nyojole, alongside an accomplice who is still at large, forcefully dragged the teenager into an uncompleted building at Uwanse, Calabar South, and assaulted her.
The court relied heavily on medical reports, compelling testimonies of witnesses, and a damning admission of guilt made by the convict during the trial.
Beyond the jail term, the court ordered Nyojole to pay N1 million in compensation to his victim.
Reacting to the judgment, the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), which prosecuted the case and secured the conviction, described the ruling as a firm judicial statement against sexual violence.
“This conviction shows a firm judicial stance against sexual violence and affirms that perpetrators of such crimes will be held fully accountable under the law,” the rights group said in a statement.
Speaking further, the Principal Counsel of BRCI, James Ibor, Esq., said the judgment reinforces Cross River State’s declared zero tolerance for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
“We acknowledge this outcome as a significant step. Efforts will continue to ensure that all perpetrators of abuse against children are identified and brought to justice,” Ibor said.
He commended the Nigeria Police in Cross River State, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Etubom Ededem Charles Ani, and his team for their roles in securing the conviction.
“Cross River State, you can confirm, has zero tolerance for SGBV,” Ibor added.
