A growing wave of public anger has erupted in Imo State following allegations that police officers compromised the investigation into the defilement of a nine-year-old girl, Nmesoma Chiwike, by a 60-year-old man, Okechukwu Azuagu.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) raised the alarm in a strongly worded statement on Thursday, accusing officers at the Isinweke Division and the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, of obstructing justice and betraying the trust placed in them by citizens.
According to the group, community authorities first reported the case on October 24, 2025, after which it was handed over to the police. Shockingly, officers allegedly released the suspect and told the victim’s family that the matter had been “settled” — despite the fact that defilement is a non-compoundable felony punishable by life imprisonment under Nigerian law.
RULAAC further alleged that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Kings David of the Quick Response Team, repeatedly ignored calls and messages from the complainants, reinforcing fears that the case was being deliberately sabotaged.
“Officers trusted with protecting the public cannot turn around to shield an alleged child abuser,” the organisation said, describing the conduct of the police as “outrageous, unlawful, and a dangerous obstruction of justice.”
Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, condemned the incident as part of a disturbing pattern of police corruption in sexual abuse cases, stressing that such failures embolden predators and traumatise survivors.
“This is a tragic reflection of how corruption fuels sexual violence. Nigeria cannot claim to uphold the rule of law when children suffer and their abusers are protected by those sworn to defend them,” he warned.
RULAAC called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to urgently intervene by investigating all officers involved, sanctioning those found culpable, ordering the suspect’s immediate rearrest, and ensuring the survivor receives full protection, medical attention, and psychosocial support.
The group insisted the matter must not be swept under the carpet, stressing that the safety of children depends on the justice system’s ability to handle such cases with integrity and seriousness.
