The Abia State Police Command has said it had not received any official complaint regarding an alleged N30,000 payment said to have been made by the father of a rape victim before the arrest of the suspect.
The allegation was made by Mr. Chijioke Anaba, whose teenage daughter was reportedly attacked by 33-year-old Chinazum Nwaubani on May 15, in Obete Nchina village, Ntighauzo community of Abia State.
According to Anaba, Nwaubani attempted to rape his daughter when she and her twin brother were working on their father’s farm.
When the girl resisted, the suspect allegedly attacked her with a machete, leaving her with severe injuries. She is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Speaking with THE WHISTLER on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, said the command had not received any formal report or evidence regarding the alleged payment.
“We have no such report, as no one has come forward with evidence. This is not a time when anyone can simply make unverified allegations,” Chinaka said.
“Anyone with credible evidence is kindly advised to report to the Complaint Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Chinaka, however, confirmed the arrest of the suspect and provided details of the incident.
“On May 15, 2025, a set of twins—a male and a female—went to their father’s farm in Obete Nchina village. While there, a man identified as Chinazum Nwaubani, aged 33 and a resident of the same village, allegedly approached them with a machete,” she said.
“He reportedly grabbed the female twin, ordered her to undress, and lie down. When she refused, he allegedly attacked her with the machete, inflicting injuries on her head, back, and leg.”
According to Chinaka, the male twin managed to escape and alerted their family, leading to a swift police response and the suspect’s arrest, a different account from what the victim’s father and the sibling had said.
Anaba, the victim’s father, had earlier claimed that he was asked to pay N30,000 to facilitate police action before the arrest was made.
He also expressed concern that the suspect might be released and accused the police of attempting to portray the attacker as mentally unstable—an assertion he strongly rejected.
“My daughter was found unconscious after losing so much blood from multiple machete cuts. We had to organize a search party to rescue her,” Anaba said.
“Now, I fear justice may be denied if they release the suspect or claim he’s mentally ill. That man is not mad.”
He appealed to the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, to intervene and support his daughter, who he said may face long-term health complications as a result of the attack.
