Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A suspect accused of defiling a 16‑year‑old girl has escaped from the custody of an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during an investigative visit to the scene of the alleged crime. The incident, which has sparked public outrage and been condemned by human rights lawyers, occurred on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Apu Road in the Rukpokwu area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The suspect, identified only as Goodnews (also spelled Goodness in some reports), had been arrested the previous week by operatives attached to the Special Area, Rumudomaya, and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port Harcourt, for further investigation. He was in the custody of an IPO from the SCIID when detectives decided to take him to the victim's compound as part of ongoing investigative procedures.
According to the father of the victim, identified simply as Mr. Prince, the sequence of events that led to the escape unfolded when the suspect was asked to open the padlock to his own room inside the family compound, where the alleged defilement had taken place. Crucially, the suspect was not handcuffed at the time. When Goodnews struggled to open the lock, Mr. Prince suggested using a hammer to break it. He then requested and received permission from the IPO to go to his apartment, located downstairs, to fetch the tool.
Upon his return, Mr. Prince was met by the IPO coming down the stairs from the suspect's upstairs apartment. The officer reportedly informed him that Goodnews had fled. The victim's father said he immediately ran in the direction the officer indicated, but the suspect was nowhere to be found.
The brazen escape has been met with sharp criticism. A prominent human rights lawyer and Executive Director of Lawyers Watch Justice International Initiative, Mr. Gbenga Oladapo, described the incident as a grave betrayal of justice.
"It is extremely ridiculous that the Police would come out to say that. This is not just negligence; it is a betrayal of the victim, her family, and every Nigerian child who deserves protection under the law," Oladapo said in a statement. He called on the police to do everything in their power to re‑arrest the suspect. "They would deem to have failed the public, they would deem to have denied the victim justice if the suspect is not re‑arrested, and this is not good for the entire society and particularly the Nigerian child."
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the incident. The command’s spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe, assured the public that efforts are ongoing to recapture the fleeing suspect. "Efforts are on to re‑arrest the fleeing suspect as investigation is ongoing," she stated.
As the manhunt for Goodnews continues, the case has renewed questions about the handling of suspects in sensitive criminal cases. The escape of an accused rapist not only deepens the trauma for the 16‑year‑old victim and her family but also raises significant concerns about the police force's ability to maintain custody and deliver justice. The public now waits to see if the police will fulfil their promise to track down the fugitive and restore some faith in the system.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments