The bright light of exposure has shone on the dark deed of 48-year-old
Sanni Idowu, a draughtsman in Ibadan, Oyo State, south west Nigeria who deflowered his
daughter in 2009, when she was just 10 years old. For four years, he continued the incestuous relationship with the
daughter until she could no longer bear the psychological agony and
shame of the sexual abuse she had been subjected to by her father.
Summoning courage, Kafayat (not her real name), now 15 years old, told a
woman in her neighbourhood about the despicable act. The woman in turn
reported to Mrs A.O. Ogungboro, a social worker with the Federation of
Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) in Orita-Bashorun, Ibadan.
Ogungboro in partnership with the Oyo State’s Ministry of Women Affairs
lodged a formal report at the Iyaganku police station. In quick
response, Anti-Human Trafficking officers at the State Criminal
Investigation Bureau (SCIB), Iyanganku swung into action and arrested
Idowu at his Amuloko home. Expectedly, news of the man’s arrest for
subjecting his daughter to incest shocked many of the residents to their
marrows.
Idowu had two wives: his wife, Iyabosola has been ill since 2007 while
Yemisi, the second wife and mother of Kafayat divorced him few months
after giving birth to Kafayat. She left little girl in the care of
Iyabosola with the other children in the family. With his first wife
incapacitated by ill health and unable to meet his sexual needs, an evil
thought came into Idowu’s mind to make Kafayat, who was just attaining
puberty fill the role Iyabosola could not perform.
One night in 2009, he sneaked into the room where Kafayat was sleeping,
overpowered her and had carnal knowledge of the girl, who was deflowered
in the process. For the succeeding days, months and years he continued
the incestuous act to the pain of the girl, until he was exposed.
The police team had difficult time arresting him as the rickety bus that
conveyed them to the man’s house broke down along the way forcing them
to arrive Amuloko late in the night. He was arrested on October 23.
When she spoke with Sunday Sun, Kafayat said fear kept her from
revealing the abuse her father was putting her through because he often
threatened to behead her if she dared to tell anyone about his
abominable act. Eventually she became bold enough to spill the beans and
told her stepmother. She said that the father was made to sign an
undertaking to desist from the abominable act. Rather than stop, the
father continued to sleep with her, often on the bare floor of the
sitting room while covering her mouth to prevent her from shouting. She
also said that anytime she asked him for money he would insist on having
sex with her first before giving her the money. “It was when I could no
longer tolerate it that I confided in a woman in our area, leading to
his arrest,” Kafayat said.
While speaking with Sunday Sun at the office of the Anti-Human
Trafficking Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Bureau (SCIB),
Idowu admitted committing the crime, adding that it was the devil that
pushed him into it. He added that he started having sexual intercourse
with her early this year and not 2007 as been claimed by her.
“I don’t know what came over me, I know its an abominable act, I know
its evil, but I only sleep with her thrice, she was lying against me
when she said I sleep with her everytime. She was tutored to lie against
me.”
Asked where he normally slept with his daughter, he replied “inside my
room” but kept quiet when asked about the first time. Idowu who said
that he regretted his action, begged for forgiveness.
Meanwhile, Idowu has been arraigned in court, where he is being prosecuted for having carnal knowledge of his daughter.
Culled from Sunday Sun
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