Police vow to arrest anyone interfering in Plateau rape cases
Plateau Police Command to Arrest Individuals Advocating for Rape Suspects
JOS, PLAATEAU STATE — The Plateau State Police Command has announced a strict policy against individuals attempting to intervene on behalf of suspects in rape and defilement cases. Commissioner of Police Bassey Ewah stated that such crimes are felonies against the state and should not be treated as family issues.
While addressing reporters, Ewah emphasized that no individual, group, or organization possesses the authority to protect offenders from the law. He has instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Police overseeing the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to ensure thorough investigations and prosecutions of all reported cases of rape and defilement in line with state laws.
“Any person, regardless of status, title, or office, who approaches the police to plead on behalf of a rape or defilement suspect will face arrest and be charged as an accessory after the fact,” Ewah said. “Obstructing justice should not be conflated with maintaining peace.”
He urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant, report any suspicions or incidents to local police promptly, and utilize emergency contacts provided on the police’s official social media platforms.
Ewah referenced a recent defilement case involving a nine-year-old girl from Fajul village in Langtang South Local Government Area. The alleged perpetrator, a 43-year-old man named Nanmwa Vongjen, has been arrested. Following the report, the victim was immediately taken to a hospital, where she is receiving medical care.
The commissioner noted that during interrogation, Vongjen admitted to the crime, claiming to have acted under the influence of alcohol. The investigation is currently ongoing at the State Juvenile Welfare Centre (SJWC), and Ewah assured that Vongjen will be charged in court after the investigation concludes.
